The LES Shake Shack opens on Friday

Updated 2 p.m. This outpost will not be serving breakfast.  (Grand Central Terminal is the only Shake Shack in Manhattan currently serving breakfast.) The hours on the LES are 11 a.m. to midnight.

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Shake Shack's first Lower East Side outpost is set to open this Friday at 131 Rivington St.

There's now an opening sign here on the SE corner at Norfolk. (Thanks to EVG reader Rhys L. for the photos!)

News of this arrival dates to July 2022. (Signage arrived in November.) 

There was some doubt that the Shack would ever open here... in late June, the landlord's reps affixed a legal notice on the gate seeking $194,974.79 "for rent for the Subject Premises."

The SS website lists the Rivington Street hours as 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.  ... which is either a mistake or means this outpost will be serving breakfast, usually only found at the brand's airport locations.

The last tenant here, Schiller’s Liquor Bar, closed after 14 years in 2017.

The incoming Shake Shack on the Lower East Side owes nearly $200k back rent: legal notice

From the outside, the new Shake Shack outpost looks ready to open on the SE corner of Rivington and Norfolk... the chain's first Lower East Side location of its burgers-and-fries operation.

News of this arrival dates to last July. (Signage arrived in November.) To date, this address has yet to appear on the Shake Shack website.

Meanwhile, multiple EVG readers pointed out the recent arrival of a legal notice on the front gate...

According to the 14-day notice, the landlord, ID'd here as 122 Norfolk Street, LLC, is seeking $194,974.79 "for rent for the Subject Premises."

The notice states that Shake Shack New York LLC has to pay the amount within 14 days from the date, listed here as June 13. (So that would make tomorrow, Tuesday, June 27, the deadline.) We reached out to the Shake Shack press department and will update this post if anyone responds.

This corner spot has sat empty since Schiller’s Liquor Bar closed after 14 years in 2017.

Happy trails to the Shake Shack curbside dining structure on 3rd Avenue

Today, Shake Shack had a crew via 1-800-GOT-JUNK? dismantle its lengthy curbside dining structure along Third Avenue between Ninth Street and Canal Street Eighth Street/Astor Place...

Shake Shack signage appears outside new Lower East Side outpost

The green glow of the familiar Shake Shack neon signage can now be seen behind the plywood at the chain's newest outpost on Rivington and Norfolk. (First reported back in June.)

The Shack takes over the space — vacant for five years — from Schiller’s Liquor Bar, which closed after 14 years in 2017.

No word yet on an opening date — this outpost has yet to appear on the Shaker's website.

Thanks to EVG reader Mitch Lerner for the photo!

Don't be surprised to see a human take your order (and cash) at the Astor Place Shake Shack

The Shack Shack at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star debuted this past October on Third Avenue and Ninth Street.

Let's quickly revisit the press release about this opening of Danny Meyer's growing burger empire:

A reflection of Shake Shack’s relentless focus on excellence, experience and hospitality through innovation, the Astor Place Shack will introduce a new guest flow at the restaurant ... the Shack is designed to enhance operations and guest experience and will feature kiosk-only ordering, a cashless environment, and an optimized kitchen for greater throughput.

Custom-designed by Shake Shack, the Shack kiosk was developed to allow Shake Shack to serve more guests at peak times – whether in-Shack, for pickup via the Shack App, or even delivery – resulting in fewer lines, less wait time and quicker speed of service at every channel. Several kiosks will line the Shack and team members known as Hospitality Champs will be stationed around the kiosks to assist guests with their orders and answer any questions.

Apparently this kiosk service didn't reflect so well with patrons. During an earnings call with analysts this past Thursday, Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti reported that humans will be put to work taking orders here moving forward.

Business Insider had the story on Friday:

[A]fter receiving complaints from furious customers who wanted to pay with their hard-earned legal tender, the burger chain is reversing course and adding cashiers to cashless locations going forward, its chief executive officer told analysts.

"Some of the things we've clearly seen is that our guests do often want to pay with cash,” CEO Randy Garutti said in response to an analyst’s question. "In the first rollout at Astor Place, we did not accept cash at all, and there are people who have told us very clearly 'we want to pay with cash.'"

"So in this next phase, we're going to go ahead and have cashiers as well as kiosks," he continued.

Otherwise business is quite good for the chain here and elsewhere. Shake Shack posted first-quarter earnings that topped analyst expectations.

Meanwhile, to help re-acclimate anyone on how to interact with a human in this situation, here are some tips on what to say:

• Hi (or hello or, perhaps, hey)
• How are you?
• Is Danny here?
• Thank you!

H/T Eater and Edmund John Dunn!

Shake Shack's Death Star branch opens today

[Photo from last Friday]

The Shack Shack for 51 Astor Place/IBM Watson Building/Death Star at Third Avenue and Ninth Street opens this morning at 11.

Here's more via the Shake Shack website:

A reflection of Shake Shack’s relentless focus on excellence, experience and hospitality through innovation, the Astor Place Shack will introduce a new guest flow at the restaurant. Set to open its doors on Tuesday, October 10th at 51 Astor Place on the corner of 9th Street and 3rd Avenue, the Shack is designed to enhance operations and guest experience and will feature kiosk-only ordering, a cashless environment, and an optimized kitchen for greater throughput.

Custom-designed by Shake Shack, the Shack kiosk was developed to allow Shake Shack to serve more guests at peak times – whether in-Shack, for pickup via the Shack App, or even delivery – resulting in fewer lines, less wait time and quicker speed of service at every channel. Several kiosks will line the Shack and team members known as Hospitality Champs will be stationed around the kiosks to assist guests with their orders and answer any questions.

The Shack kiosk replicates the experience of the Shack App with a sharp aesthetic, an intuitive touch screen interface and ease of ordering. Guests simply select their food, place an order and choose to receive an alert via text when their order is ready. The new technology offers guests yet another way to experience Shake Shack – when, where and how they want it – and demonstrates Shake Shack’s commitment to digital hospitality. Earlier this year, Shake Shack launched a mobile ordering app for iOS and Android platforms and introduced the ShackBot, through Facebook Messenger and Twitter DM, to answer guests’ most frequently asked questions.

The Astor Place Shack presents an exciting testing ground for Shake Shack to strengthen operations and experiment with new and innovative ways of connecting with loyal fans. Building a business model to support digital innovation, Shake Shack will lead with a starting wage of $15 per hour to continue to be on the forefront of competitive wages and developing the leaders needed for growth.

A new guest flow... Hospitality Champs... ShackBots...

For some reason I think of this Gary Numan song now...

Touch-screen kiosks that do not take cash will be the order at Shake Shack's Death Star branch

The Shake Shack opening any day now at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star will be a cashless and (mostly) faceless experience.

Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti offered what Shake Shackgoers can expect here during an interview with CNBC yesterday:

[T]his Shake Shack won't have a cashier's counter. Instead, guests will use digital kiosks or their mobile phones to place orders. Manning these kiosks will be "hospitality champs," Shake Shack employees who specialize in making customers' time in the restaurant as seamless and enjoyable as possible.

Orders will go directly to the kitchen, which has been rearranged to "eliminate friction time," Garutti told CNBC.

Eliminating "friction" is a big piece of this new Shack location. In addition to streamlining the back of house operation, the Astor Place Shake Shack will not accept cash. Garutti said many customers still pay with cash in its restaurants, but the company wants to see if removing that option will make the dining experience more seamless.

In addition, instead of the traditional Shake Shack buzzer, diners will receive a text from the restaurant letting them know when their food is ready. This way customers are no longer tethered to the restaurant while their food is being prepared, Garutti said.

Garutti said that the Death Star Shack "will be a playground where we can test and learn the ever-shifting needs of our guests."

A few other things from the interview:

In order to hire the best staff, Garutti said the company will be paying workers at this location a minimum of $15 an hour.

And...

Garutti said company officials expect a few hiccups, but they are just excited to see what elements of this restaurant work best. In particular, he said the restaurant made sure to have a backup plan in case of internet malfunctions or Wi-Fi issues.

As Eater reported, Shake Shack has 17 open and upcoming locations in NYC and over 135 worldwide.

Updated 8 a.m.

The crinkle cut fries are being delivered...

A tale of 2 chains on 3rd Avenue

The Shake Shack is looking close to opening at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star. (Haven't heard an exact date just yet.)

Meanwhile, across Third Avenue, here's a look at the former McDonald's ...



This McDonald's location closed on June 1 after deciding not to renew the lease after 20 years here near St. Mark's Place.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Shake Shack effect? McDonald's on 3rd Avenue at St. Mark's Place has closed after 20 years

Shake Shack announces itself at the Death Star

As previously reported, Danny Meyer’s fast-growing burger chain is opening a 3,000-square-foot outpost in/at 51 Astor Place/IBM Watson Building/the Death Star.

On Friday, the Shake branding arrived here at Third Avenue at Ninth Street... (this location will also serve beer and wine...)



... and they are ready to Shake, rattle... and hire...

Work starts on the Shake Shack's Death Star location

Workers are prepping the corner of 51 Astor Place/IBM Watson Building/Death Star at Third Avenue and Ninth Street for Shake Shacking.

As previously noted, Danny Meyer’s fast-growing burger chain is opening a 3,000-square-foot outpost here.

Anyway, paper is up on the Third Avenue side of the building ... along with various permits...



Shake Shack has also applied for a beer-wine license. This application will go before CB3's SLA committee tonight...



And here's a look at the space from the Ninth Street side, which no one has papered over just yet...



The Post, who first reported on this new lease, said the Shack is expected to open in the fall.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Astor Place Shake Shack going for a beer-wine license

The Shake Shack effect? McDonald's on 3rd Avenue at St. Mark's Place has closed after 20 years

[Photos by EVG reader MP]

Some passersby were shocked yesterday to see that the McDonald's on Third Avenue at St. Mark's Place had shut down. A sign on the door noted, "Sadly, this location is closing."



In June 2015, The Real Deal reported that real-estate investor Arthur Shapolsky was in contract to buy the corner assemblage — 23 Third Ave., 27 Third Ave. and 3 St. Mark's Place — for roughly $50 million. The site could reportedly accommodate a 41,500-square-foot commercial building or a residential one of roughly half the size.

However, Joseph Gabay, whose family owns the properties, told me last night that they have not been sold despite the continued rumors.

"McDonald’s has chosen not to renew their lease after a 20-year run," he said via email. "With the addition of 51 Astor, the dynamic of the square has changed."

As noted earlier this week, Shake Shack is expected to open later this year directly across the street in a corner space at 51 Astor Place.

"With a contemporary brand moving in like Shake Shack and McDonald's leaving the change is evident," Gabay said.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Northeast corner of St. Mark's Place and 3rd Ave. fetching $50 million for development site

P.S.

And what happened to the Golden Arches?

@evgrieve McDonald’s arches removed in armored truck. pic.twitter.com/x7JRDrSRqd

— Jacob Ford (@unitof) June 1, 2017

Astor Place Shake Shack going for a beer-wine license

Just a quick follow-up about the 3,000-square-foot Shake Shack coming this fall to the empty retail space at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star...

Team Shack is on the June CB3-SLA committee docket for a beer-wine license for the space...



Select Shacks Shacks serve ShackMeister® Ale, "otherwise known as the ShackBurger’s best friend." It's made in collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery, per the Shacksite. As for wine, Shack Red® and Shack White® by Frog's Leap is available by the glass or bottle.

We'll look at other items on the CB3-SLA docket next week ahead of the meeting on June 12.

A Shake Shack is coming to the Death Star

That empty retail space at 51 Astor Place/the IBM Watson Building/Death Star has a tenant: Shake Shack.

The Post has the scoop:

Danny Meyer’s fast-growing burger chain has signed a lease on Astor Place that will open this fall...

The new location, which will span nearly 3,000 square feet on the northeast side of the building at 51 Astor Pl., “will feature some unique design and customer experience elements,” a Shake Shack spokeswoman confirmed, declining to elaborate.

Until earlier last month, this corner slot on Third Avenue at Ninth Street housed the sales office for hotelier-developer Ian Schrager's hotel-condo tower at 215 Chrystie just below East Houston.

The Shack joins the building's other retail tenants — CVS, Flywheel Sports, Orangetheory Fitness, Bluestone Lane Coffee and Chopt.

According to Lois Weiss at the Post, the Shake Shake team signed a 15-year lease.

The lease memo, reviewed by the Post, provides the Danny Meyer fast-casual joint with the ability to exclusively sell “hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries and frozen custard.”

As such, it banishes direct competitors such as Smashburger and Johnny Rockets from the building.

This will be the second Danny Meyer venture to open on Third Avenue in the coming months. His Union Square Hospitality Group is behind Martina, a pizzeria, in progress on 11th Street at Third Avenue.

This headline says it all

From the Post today.

Bloomberg doubts Tavern on the Green should reopen, sees restaurants like Shake Shack as future

Shake Shack poll results: The end is near! (Woo!)

Yesterday we asked: What if a Shake Shack opened in Tompkins Square Park?



We based the survey on one sentence regarding Tompkins Square Park in the Times from Sunday that read ... "The echoes of demonstrators yelling “Die, Yuppie Scum” may be very faint these days, but there is no Shake Shack ... yet."

So, as of 6:06 am, here are the results, based on 364 votes (two of which I admit were mine — I was pulling for the jeans!):



We're calling it official, though because this is America, final results of the election won't likely be known for another 2-3 months. So keep voting!

Poll update

As of 2:57, the pro Shake Skackers hold a slim lead in the poll.. Vote here.

What if a Shake Shack opened in Tompkins Square Park?

The piece in the Times on Sunday about Seventh Street included the following passage:

Near the eastern end of this stretch is Tompkins Square Park, that wonderful 10.5-acre patch that continues to lure the bohemian legions yet resists gentrification against all odds. Originally planned as a farmers’ market, it has been used as a public park since the 1800s and has weathered many seasons since. On any given day, there might be a band making noise, codgers playing chess, schoolchildren all in a line, and a Police Department van slowly cruising through. The echoes of demonstrators yelling “Die, Yuppie Scum” may be very faint these days, but there is no Shake Shack ... yet.

The mention of Shake Shack in the East Village prompted a sudden pain in my groin. In the comments, Jeremiah Moss noted: "the writer is practically begging for a Shake Shack in Tompkins Square Park."

Does the author know something that we don't? Or is this just wishful thinking?

So... what if a big, mooing cash cow of a Shake Shack opened in Tompkins Square Park ... just like the one in Madison Square Park?



As Jeremiah recently wrote: "We know what happens when popular, higher end businesses are introduced into a neighborhood. Like the mongoose and gypsy moth, they have a powerful and irreversible effect on the ecosystem."

What would the release of a Shake Shack mean to the Tompkins Square Park and East Village ecosystem? [The poll actually works now! Vote early and often!]

Shack attack! What would you think about a Shake Shake opening in Tompkins Square Park? The end is near Are there Shake Shacks in Greenland? I will fight like hell to make sure it never opens Who cares, we lost the war a long time ago I actually like Shake Shake and would welcome it Do these granny jeans make me look fat? view results

Headline of the day: "The woman who killed Shake Shack."

If you've been following along over at Eater, then you'll know that Shake Shack decided to nix its Nolita expansion plans. Today, the Post profiles the neighbor instrumental in making this happen... the article is titled "The woman who killed Shake Shack." It begins:

Debra Zimmerman — a chatty, husky-voiced blonde — first learned that Shake Shack would be her new neighbor when she got a surprise visit from her landlord in January.

The hamburger haven’s contractor wanted to make sure the construction of a building on an adjacent plot on the corner of Prince and Mulberry streets didn’t cause damage to the railroad-style apartment, which she has called home for the past 32 years. Long vacant, the lot would soon house Manhattan’s third branch of restaurateur Danny Meyer’s wildly popular burger chain.

“At that point, I’m very concerned — extremely concerned,” says Zimmerman, 53, upon discovering that her view across Mulberry Street to the historic St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral would be replaced by a 30-seat rooftop space that would stay open until midnight every night.

And so began a modern-day tale of David and Goliath — NYC style.

Unbelievably, in a span of just six weeks, Zimmerman — who had never been a community activist before — brought down one of the city’s biggest and most connected restaurateurs.

Feel empowered?

[Image via the Post via Women Make Movies]