Madina Deli Shop opens in former Reciprocal Skateboards space on East 11th Street

[Photo by Shawn Chittle]

The deli is just getting up and running here on 11th Street just east of First Avenue… in one of the storefronts that previously housed Reciprocal Skateboards.

Reciprocal closed in March after five-plus years in business. In a Facebook post, owner Jon Eastman wrote: "We are unfortunately completely out of resources to continue operating any further. And by resources, I mean money."

Reciprocal Skateboards has closed on East 11th Street

That's it for Reciprocal Skateboards, the spirited shop/hangout at 402 E. 11th St. near First Avenue.

Owner Jon Eastman, who has run the place the past five-plus years, explains in a Facebook post:

[I]t comes with great sadness and difficulty that I'm forced to announce that as of this past weekend, Reciprocal has closed its doors for good. We are unfortunately completely out of resources to continue operating any further. And by resources, I mean money.

Over the last year or so I've scraped and clawed desperately from my own personal finances to get just enough money together, so that we can stay open and keep this beautiful thing alive. And that worked for a year or so. However, regardless of how hard I try, the margins in the skate industry, particularly for a mom and pop skate shop are just not there. The prices of skateboards today are barely more expensive than they were 20 years ago. Even cheaper if you factor in inflation. Yet our costs to purchase these products have gone up consistently.

Sure, we can charge more, but we have to compete with CCS, and Zumies down the street who buy in volume and charge next to nothing for cheaply produced decks with clever marketing campaigns. We're already more expensive than those companies, and the numbers still don't add up for us. This coupled with our increased rent, made the decision a clear one.

We'll particularly miss playing the shop's pinball machines, curated by Eastman, whose grandfather ran an arcade on Coney Island.



Images via Facebook

Noted

Greg Matherly at Reciprocal Skateboards passes along these photos of a new mural that has arrived on East 11th Street (alongside Eleven Consignment Boutique) at First Avenue ...

Not quite sure what it is from the photos... but apparently the guys in the Halal truck on the corner like it...

For whom the plot tolls

Yesterday morning, city crews arrived on East 11th Street just east of First Avenue... jackhammered up part of the sidewalk in front of Reciprocal Skateboards, filled it with dirt... and moved on...

Greg Matherly at Reciprocal Skateboards, who shared these photos, noted the arrival of a makeshift cross ... to give it a fresh grave look, perhaps in honor of Halloween...



And for some local reaction to the new plot...

Post by Reciprocal Skateboards.

As for what's next, probably a new tree.

By the way, the site of the cemetery of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral was once across the street. The graveyard was moved to Calvary Cemetery in Queens in 1909.

Here's a map from 1867...



Learn more about this here.

Street dreams

Heh. From our friends over at Reciprocal Skateboards on East 11th Street... captured by the store's security camera... (the music was added later, you know)...

Reciprocal Skateboards expands

Shawn Chittle passes along word that Reciprocal Skateboards has expanded into the previously vacant storefront next door on East 11th Street near First Avenue...