Today in grand opening alerts: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen on 14th Street

Photo by Edmund John Dunn 

The Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is now open at 442 E. 14th St. near Avenue A.

This location of the fast-food chain combined two storefronts — the Lower East Side Coffee Shop, which closed here after 13 years in February 2021 ... and New Herbal World, which left in September 2019. 

We first heard about this pending arrival in August 2022.

A look inside the incoming Popeyes on 14th Street

With the Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers outpost set to open Wednesday on Astor Place ... a few people have asked about another fried-chicken chain. 

The Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen at 442 E. 14th St., just west of Avenue A, is looking nearly ready for deep-frying action. Workers removed the plastic graffiti barrier on the storefront... which provides a look inside... (H/T Edmund John Dunn!)

Still no word on an opening date here.

This incoming Popeyes combined two storefronts — the Lower East Side Coffee Shop, which closed here after 13 years in February 2021 ... and New Herbal World, which left in September 2019. 

Sunday's opening shot

In the past week or so, multiple readers have shared photos of the incoming Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen at 442 E. 14th St., just west of Avenue A ... as you can see, the storefront has been tagged multiple times.

This will be the second EV Popeyes: an outpost opened in October 2020 at 39 First Ave. between Second Street and Third Street.

And while we don't have any photographic evidence of this, there was a Popeyes on First Avenue between 13th Street and 14th Street at some point like 15+ years ago.

[Updated] And now, your signage for the Popeyes opening on 14th Street near Avenue A

Photo by Edmund John Dunn 

In the breaking news [🚨🚨🚨] department here at noon ET, the signage for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is going up at its new home at 442 E. 14th St., just west of Avenue A.

No word on an opening date.

This makes the second EV Popeyes: an outpost opened in October 2020 at 39 First Ave. between Second Street and Third Street.

The new 14th Street Popeyes combined two storefronts — the Lower East Side Coffee Shop, which closed here after 13 years in February 2021 ... and New Herbal World, which left in September 2019. 

Updated: 

Now with a final signage shot via Vinny & O...

Previously

FULL storefront reveal of the future Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen on 14th and A

On Wednesday, workers removed the plywood from the renovated storefront at 442 E. 14th St., just west of Avenue A. (This photo by Edmund John Dunn; thanks to Pinch for taking a photo as well!)

As we noted in August 2022, this space is the future home of a Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.

No word on an opening date.

This makes the second EV Popeyes: an outpost opened in October 2020 at 39 First Ave. between Second Street and Third Street.

The new Popeyes combined two storefronts — the Lower East Side Coffee Shop, which closed here after 13 years in February 2021 ... and New Herbal World, which offered a variety of herbs, teas and tonics, and acupuncture, moved to Lafayette Street in September 2019. 

Reader report: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen slated for the SW corner of 14th Street and Avenue A

EVG photo from early 2022

Renovations are taking inside the former coffee shop at 442 E. 14th St., just west of Avenue A. Two EVG readers/tipsters reported that workers at the scene said the incoming tenant is — Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen.

Haven't received any other confirmation of this at the moment. (And if this is true, hopefully the restaurant will have a better exhaust system than the Wing Stop several storefronts away.)

This would also make the second EV Popeyes: an outpost opened in October 2020 at 39 First Ave. between Second Street and Third Street.

No. 442 was previously the Lower East Side Coffee Shop, which closed here after 13 years in February 2021. Next door, New Herbal World, which offered a variety of herbs, teas and tonics as well as acupuncture, moved to Lafayette Street in September 2019. 

It was a tough time for all the businesses on this corner in recent years. For nearly three years, this side of 14th Street was an active construction zone for L-train repairs and Avenue A entrance construction ... with various trucks, drill rigs, pile drivers, compressors and generators. 

Several businesses were forced to shut down due to limited access to their storefronts. Outside the now-shuttered Dion and the Coffee Shop, customer access included only 28 inches of sidewalk space — not big enough for a wheelchair in spots.  

A break in at Popeyes

The NYPD is at the Popeyes location on First Avenue between Second Street and Third Street this morning... after a report of a break in here...

As you can see, someone smashed in the front door. 

According to the Citizen app at 6:49 a.m., "two suspects reporteldy fled from the scene on foot." It's not known at the moment if anything was taken. 

The fried-chicken franchise opened here on Oct. 17.

Popeyes now open on 1st Avenue

As you may have noticed, the Popeyes debuted back on Saturday here at 39 First Ave. here between Second Street and Third Street. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy took this photo of the franchise owner (left) with his Popeyes team on opening day...

Anyone try this new outpost?

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Worldwide exclusive: Your first look inside the new Popeyes, opening soon on 1st Avenue

In breaking news this afternoon: The Popeyes signage has arrived on 1st Avenue

The Popeyes sign is in here at 39 First Ave. between Second Street and Third Street... (and what font is that???) Steven took these photos of the sign hot off the truck...

The quick-serve chicken emporium is expected to open here on Saturday. You can check out our previous post for a look inside.

P.S.

I do not know what's going on next door with d.b.a., which has not reopened since the PAUSE.

Worldwide exclusive: Your first look inside the new Popeyes, opening soon on 1st Avenue

As we've been reporting, Popeyes is opening an outpost at 39 First Ave. here between Second Street and Third Street.

The other day, EVG Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen correspondent Stacie Joy was invited to take a look inside the chicken-fried paradise...

This outpost is expected to open at the end of the week. There are more than 15 Popeyes in the metropolitan area.

This retail space has sat empty for four-and-a-half years ... ever since NY Village Deli moved to a smaller storefront on the block. 

P.S.

Because someone will ask about the top photo: the people outside the incoming Popeyes were NOT waiting to be first inside when they open. They were looking at the John Lennon bus that was making the rounds in honor of his birthday this past Friday.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen for 1st Avenue?

Popeyes getting nearer to unleashing the chicken combo deals on 1st Avenue

Renovations continue inside (and out!) the long-vacant 39 First Ave. here between Second Street and Third Street.

As we noted back in November, a Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen was said to be the new tenant.

While there isn't any exterior signage at the moment, EVG reader Ace A Acekin did get a look inside ... and saw that workers have hoisted the sandwich combo deal menus behind the counter...



Popeyes emerged victorious last summer during the Chicken Sandwich Wars, simpler times when people cared about things like this.

No word on an East Village opening date for this Popeyes. There are more than 15 in the metropolitan area.

This retail space has sat empty for four-and-a-half years ... ever since NY Village Deli moved to a smaller storefront on the block.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen for 1st Avenue?

A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen for 1st Avenue?

Renovations are now underway inside the long-vacant 39 First Ave. here between Second Street and Third Street.

According to sources on the block, a Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen will be the new tenant.

There's nothing on the recently issued work permits mentioning Popeyes by name. The architect of record does mostly work with fast-food properties.

So chalk this up to a rumor for now.

Popeyes has enjoyed a resurgence since the release this past summer of its pandemonium-inducing fried chicken sandwich ... which was recently re-introduced to a spate of violence at several outposts across the country.

There are currently 15 Popeyes locations in Manhattan, per the company website.

As for No. 39, the retail space has sat empty for nearly four years after NY Village Deli moved to a smaller storefront on the block.

The storefront was also tagged again in recent days.



Updated

In other local Popeyes news... the Post reports that an East Village resident found half of a joint from a chicken sandwich he bought last week at the West 14th Street location.