The MáLà Project now open on 1st Avenue

The restaurant is in the soft open stages now at 122 First Ave. between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

Here's their official description via Facebook: "An upbeat and energetic Chinese restaurant, focusing on Málà Dry Pot, along with original Chinese dishes and small bites."

And their menu, via Facebook...


[Click to go big]

Nick Solares at Eater has photos and more details of the place here. (The restaurant website is here.) One note: They were approved to sell beer and wine, but the license has not yet arrived.

The previous tenant, South Brooklyn Pizza, closed in April 2014. In the fall of 2014, the owners of the International next door explored moving into the space, though those plans never materialized.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Málà Project coming soon to 1st Avenue

The Málà Project coming soon to 1st Avenue

Been meaning to take a look at what's coming to 122 First Ave. between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place… the paper has been up in the windows noting a venture called the Málà Project …



There's not much info on their Facebook page, except for: "An upbeat and energetic Chinese food shop, featuring traditional and exotic Chinese street foods in a playful setting."

The owners were on July's CB3 SLA committee docket for a beer-wine license. (No vote was necessary on this application.) Per their questionnaire (PDF!) on file at the CB3 website, they will offer "Chinese appetizers and entrees served family style."

Their listed hours are 11 a.m to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday; until midnight Thursday-Sunday.

The previous tenant, South Brooklyn Pizza, closed in April 2014. Last fall, the owners of the International explored moving into the space, though those plans never materialized.

H/T EVG correspondent Steven

Seafood market in the works for the International Bar space on 1st Avenue

Back in September, we reported that the International Bar was hoping to move next door from its current home on First Avenue to the former South Brooklyn Pizza space.

Preparations to move the bar and add a pizzeria with slices to go here between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place are underway.

Meanwhile, there are also plans to turn the soon-to-be-former International space into a seafood market.

International owner Molly Fitch, who along with Shawn Dahl, reopened the bar in June 2008, said that the new venture at 120 1/2 First Ave. will be called The Liquor Seafood Market + Bar.

With time left on the current lease, Fitch said that she wanted to "open a much-needed place to get fresh fish in the neighborhood."

During the day, the space will operate as a traditional retail outlet for fresh seafood… and in the evening, the market will give way to a more traditional bar-restaurant environment with a 2 a.m. closing time. (Amended this last sentence to add the restaurant part and closing time!)

Fitch shared part of a sample menu with us.



Helping Fitch with the market is Sebastian Jaramillo, a former chef with Porsena on East Seventh Street.

CB3's SLA committee will hear plans for this alteration during tonight's monthly meeting.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The International eyeing move next door to the former South Brooklyn Pizza space

The International eyeing move next door to the former South Brooklyn Pizza space

There are plans to relocate neighborhood favorite the International one storefront away on First Avenue between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

International owner Molly Fitch, who along with Shawn Dahl, reopened the bar in June 2008, said that the opportunity to move so close is too good to pass up. However, it's not a done deal just yet.

If it works out, then Molly and the International crew will have more room to work with. South Brooklyn Pizza, which closed in April, was split into two sections, the space for to-go slices and a dining room.

Molly, who also owns the Coal Yard one block to the south on First Avenue, said that she would use the space on the right for an NYC-style to-go pizzeria. The left side of the storefront would house The International. (She'd retain the warm, comfortable vibe of the current bar.)



This would be the fourth iteration of The International, which was originally on St. Mark's Place before the owner moved it to its current location at 120 1/2 First Avenue. The International closed in 2002 after the death of the partner of the original owner's son. The space sat in limbo until Molly and Shawn reopened it in 2008.

The application for a new liquor license will likely be one of the items expected before the CB3/SLA subcommittee meeting next month.

South Brooklyn Pizza space on the market for $18,975 (a month)

[Image via Elliman]

South Brooklyn Pizza closed for good at 122 First Ave. toward the end of April. For rent signs went up immediately.

And we just spotted the listing over at Douglas Elliman. There's not a whole lot of info, but you get the idea:

This East Village special was previously used as a restaurant and bar. Sports exposed red brick, sky lights, outdoor patio and a basement that will be sub divided. Approximately 2300sf.

The asking rent is $18,975 per month.

Signs on the storefront on April 22 indicated that South Brooklyn Pizza was moving to a new location in the East Village. However, we haven't heard anything more about that.

The Marshal seized the space on April 24. A rep for the landlord told an EVG reader that the pizzeria owners hadn't paid rent in several months. In August 2012, the company behind South Brooklyn Pizza filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Updated 10:04 a.m.
Check out the comments ... where VH McKenzie does some math to figure out how much pizza you'd need to sell a day to afford this space...

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Marshal seizes South Brooklyn Pizza; space is now for rent

The Marshal seizes South Brooklyn Pizza; space is now for rent

The landlord has taken possession of the South Brooklyn Pizza space at 122 First Ave. Closing/moving signs arrived here on Tuesday. The Marshal's notice is dated yesterday.

The space has been cleared out ...



... and is now for rent.



Despite signs indicating a move to another East Village storefront, an employee told EVG reader MP that they didn't have a new space.

In August 2012, the company behind South Brooklyn Pizza filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

South Brooklyn Pizza is closing … and moving

EVG reader MP spotted this sign last night at South Brooklyn Pizza … apparently the pizzeria, with four locations in Brooklyn, is closing here at the end of this week … and moving to an undisclosed new space.

There isn't any mention yet on South Brooklyn's Facebook page about this new East Village location. (An employee told MP that they were still looking for space.)

Shortly after opening at 122 First Ave. between East Seventh Street and East Eighth Street in April 2010, South Brooklyn Pizza began expanding into the space next door formerly occupied by Ruben's Empanadas. There was a legal battle over this move, which Jeremiah Moss covered here. (It was never easy for South Brooklyn. There was also opposition to the pizzeria's liquor license. And what became of those "Fondle Parties"?)

The expanded dining room opened in August 2012.

Also in August 2012, the company behind South Brooklyn Pizza filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

In any event, this will be a lonely stretch of First Avenue … next-door neighbor Kim's is also closing in the months ahead.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Opposition to South Brooklyn Pizza's liquor license

Reader report: South Brooklyn Pizza dining room now open

After reading that South Brooklyn Pizza filed for bankruptcy protection (first reported by Crain's today) ... several readers noted that the First Avenue location's dining room expansion was now open...

Read more about all this at Vanishing New York.

Report: South Brooklyn Pizza files for bankruptcy protection

[Image via I Dream of Pizza]

Crain's reported this afternoon that the company behind South Brooklyn Pizza has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The pizzeria has three locations, one in Carroll Gardens and two in Manhattan, including one at 122 First Ave. between Seventh St. and St. Mark's Place.

Per Crain's:

According to an affidavit accompanying the most recent petition, the bankruptcy "was precipitated by landlord-tenant issues with the landlord, over-landlord and fee owner of 122 First Avenue." In 2009, [owner James] McGown signed a sublease for the First Avenue property, and invested $400,000 in the store's renovation, but the property has changed hands several times since. Mr. McGown now "has no idea who to pay money to" for the deal, the affidavit says.

Earlier this year, South Brooklyn Pizza started renovating the space next door for a new dining room.

On March 28, Jeremiah Moss reported at Vanishing New York that former East Villager Kati Duncan, who has a 25-year-lease on the storefronts at 122 First Ave., is in a "legal brawl" with South Brooklyn Pizza, who is subletting the space. In 2010, South Brooklyn took over the space next door as well... the former Ruben's Empanadas. Duncan said that this was done without her knowledge.

Per the post:

Duncan's lawyer says that South Brooklyn Pizza is "encouraging the Overlandlord to bring an eviction proceeding" against her, so they can take over the lease.

Read the whole post at JVNY.

An expanded dining room and a legal fight

Our friends from @biggayicecream sent along this photo the other day... an in-progress look at South Brooklyn Pizza's new dining room opening adjacent to the pizzeria on First Avenue...

Meanwhile, today, Jeremiah Moss reports at Vanishing New York that former East Villager Kati Duncan, who has a 25-year-lease on the storefronts at 122 First Ave., is in a "legal brawl" with South Brooklyn Pizza, who is subletting the space. In 2010, South Brooklyn took over the space next door as well... the former Ruben's Empanadas. Duncan said that this was done without her knowledge.

Per the post:

Duncan's lawyer says that South Brooklyn Pizza is "encouraging the Overlandlord to bring an eviction proceeding" against her, so they can take over the lease.

Read more about it at JVNY.

South Brooklyn Pizza asks for signatures, calls CB3 'infamous'

South Brooklyn Pizza is on the April CB3/SLA agenda. They're expanding to open a restaurant next door at 122 First Ave. in the former Ruben's space. (Eater first noted this takeover last September.) They're asking for a beer-and-wine license.

And so the South Brooklyn Pizza folks are collecting signatures of support, as the sign in the window shows... pointing out they are "going in front of the infamous community board three."

One neighbor said that South Brooklyn Pizza will also be looking to open an outdoor space. There was opposition to a liquor license for the new pizza place last June.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Opposition to South Brooklyn Pizza's liquor license