Updated: Cheers Cut bringing Taiwanese fast food to St. Mark's Place

Renovations have been ongoing behind the brown-papered front windows at 36 St. Mark's Place.

A worker there recently told EVG correspondent Steven that the new business will be selling fried chicken... and a sign noting "fried chicken and seafood" recently arrived on the front door...


[Photo by Steven]

Something deep fried makes sense given that the previous tenant here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue was Friterie Belgian Fries, which closed back in January after nearly 18 months in operation.

The previous tenant, Fasta ("Pasta Your Way"), lasted less than six weeks in business. Before that, it was the $1.50 branch of 2 Bros. Pizza, which closed in February 2015.

Updated 9 a.m.

Thanks to @NameCantBe for passing along that this will be a Cheers Cut location.

Here's their official description:

Our Taiwanese-inspired cuisine features flavorful, fresh dishes that deliver an unforgettable experience to your taste buds. We revolve our business around the goal of providing our customers with quality food and service. The menu features a variety of selections, including our famous crispy fried chicken and seafood dishes cooked to perfection, as well as other recipes ranging from bento boxes to noodles. Made with fresh, local ingredients and carefully hand selected and tested, our food will guarantee quality to provide our customers with the best experience possible.

Eater named it as a top spot for fried chicken in NYC:

The monster fillet at this new Elmhurst Taiwanese fast food chain that specializes in chicken and squid has been heavily crumbed and fried to perfection, and is delivered in its entirety — so bring a pocket knife. Crowds line up to get these fillets, and four sweet dipping sauces are offered. The cartoon superhero motif is an added plus.

1st LinkNYC kiosk coming to St. Mark's Place

[Photo Saturday by Steven]

There was a ceremonial groundbreaking on Saturday (following the ceremonial sawing down of the pay phones) on St. Mark's Place just west of Second Avenue ... where workers have started the prep work for what will be the first LinkNYC kiosk on St. Mark's Place.

The other pay phones remain up for now on this block between Second Avenue and Third Avenue, where the LinkNYC will sure to be put to good use.


[A Clint Mario special]



Despite LinkNYC's tech advances (Wi-Fi, device charging, access to city services, maps and directions), they do not provide ample space to, say, mix or hold beverages like the pay phones on the block ...



Previously

The former Caffe Bene space is actually for rent on St. Mark's Place

[Photo from May 5]

The Caffe Bene outpost at 24 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue closed back in April after 17 months in business.

A for rent sign arrived on May 4 ... however, there hasn't been a corresponding listing online at broker Eastern Consolidated ... meanwhile, the for rent sign has fallen down.



After lying in a heap for several weeks, someone put the sign back up yesterday...



Before Caffe B, the address was a Pinkberry. The space was on the market for nearly six months before Caffe Bene signed a 10-year lease in August 2015, with a reported asking rent in the $240 per-square-foot territory.

Breaking: 2 Bros. Pizza unveils new sign, branding on St. Mark's Place

In today's top news story, workers replaced the 2 Bros. Pizza sign at 32 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

EVG 2 Bros. Correspondent Steven got (maybe) the first look at the new brandage for the dollarsliceria ...





Insta reaction: The shape of the logo looks a little coffin-ish. Anyone else?

One more look...


[Photo by Derek Berg]

Caffe Bene closes on St. Mark's Place

[Photo yesterday by Steven]

The Caffe Bene outpost at 24 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue closed on Saturday ... workers were spotted removing boxes yesterday.


[Photo this morning by Steven]

This location, one of 1,600 worldwide that is part of the South Korean-based company, never seemed all that busy since opening in December 2015.

Apparently they weren't attracting their target audience.

According to brokers quoted in the Commercial Observer in August 2015, the building's landlord, Beame Realty, "is looking to tap into the hedge funds and tech companies coming to 51 Astor Place, as well as the New York University and St. John’s University crowd."

Caffe Bene had signed a 10-year lease, with asking rent in the $240 per-square-foot territory.

The storefront previously housed a Pinkberry, which closed at the beginning of 2015.

Previously on EV Grieve:
2 Caffe Bene locations coming to the East Village

Work starts on the 2 Caffe Bene spaces in the East Village

Easter Sunday's parting shot

Photo on St. Mark's Place today by Raquel Shapira

Those Starbucks rumors continue to percolate on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place

[Photo from October]

Back in the fall, an EVG reader told us a worker was upgrading the electricity at 131 Avenue A ... because he said a Starbucks was going to be renting the former Nino's and Hop Devil Grill spaces on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place.

Meanwhile, last week, an Avenue A business owner asked us if we heard about a Starbucks opening on Avenue A. Now the rumor continues to pick up steam, as The Villager cites an unnamed source who tells the weekly paper: "I would say it’s a 90 percent certainty that Starbucks will be in the space."

Last fall, a tipster shared the flyer in circulation for the property...



At the time, a source with knowledge of the asking rent said that the corner space was seeking $15,020 per month and the inline storefront was going for $42,072 per month. The landlord was asking $52,000 for the combined spaces.

So far, there isn't any other evidence that this space has a tenant just yet. And Starbucks has been a handy rumored tenant in recent years ... for the corner of Avenue A and 11th Street and Avenue B and Fourth Street ... the contractor who said that a Starbucks was coming to First Avenue and 13th Street turned out to be correct, though.

James Morrissey, who owns The Late Late on East Houston and now VNYL on Third Avenue, had been after the spaces to create The Honey Fitz, a bar-diner-restaurant-cafe-networking space. Those plans never materialized early last year.


[Photo from yesterday]

To recap, Nino's closed in October 2015. As previously reported, owner Nino Camaj accepted a low six-figure amount to walk away from his remaining 10-year lease and surrender the pizza shop that he opened in 1989. He had been in a dispute with the landlord over back rent and a closure due to a gas leak in the building. Hop Devil Grill and its sister bar next door, The Belgian Room, were seized by the state in April 2015 for nonpayment of taxes.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A look at the retail listing for the northwest corner of A and St. Mark's Place

The former spaces for Nino's and Hop Devil Grill have been combined

Macaron Parlour leaves St. Mark's Place for larger space on the LES

[Image via RKF]

On Wednesday, Macaron Parlour closed its storefront on St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue ahead of a move to a larger shop on the LES.

Owners Christina Ha and Emilie Legrand explained via Facebook:

We are so pleased to announce that we are moving our East Village shop to the Lower East Side. Our new address will be 44 Hester St., right beside our sister company Meow Parlour. We will be opening sometime next week (TBA) once we’ve settled in. In the meantime, you can find our treats in our UWS shop or the Meow Parlour Bakery.

Macaron Parlour East Village was our very first brick-and-mortar store, which we opened in October 2012. These past 4+ years have been truly amazing. What started out as just a dream has grown beyond our wildest imaginations. We will miss being in the East Village so, so much. We’ve simply outgrown the space and are looking forward to a bigger kitchen for production!

Finally, we wanted to thank our neighbors and regulars in the East Village who we have come to know and love dearly, our friends who have provided their never-ending support for us, and our customers who continue to come from near and far to try out our treats. We hope you will visit us at our new location in the LES!

We are excited to join the neighborhood and see what the future holds!

The space at 111 St. Mark's Place was previously home (briefly) to the Chocolate Library.

Addiction NYC heads across St. Mark's Place

Addiction NYC has closed up shop at 27 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... the tattoo parlor and smoke shop is headed across St. Mark's Place to No. 18...



As we understand it... Addiction will be merging with existing businesses from the same owner ...



No. 27 is one of the properties that controversial landlord Rapahel Toledano, who just filed for Chapter 11, is trying to sell. Meanwhile, the retail tenants here have received major rent increases. The Sock Man moved away (to 99 1/2 St. Mark's Place) from his longtime home in one of the spaces last January after the rent was hiked by 3x. The tenant Toledano's brokers found to replace The Sock Man, the rolled ice cream shop Lab -320°, closed after six months in business.

Thanks to Steven for the photos!

City getting desperate to remove remaining snow

Please hold your booing until the end of the post.

St. Mark's Place today.

Sunday's parting shot

The FDNY was recruiting on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue today... photo by Derek Berg

Noted

As of this morning, this fuzzy artwork — on two sheets of plywood — sat outside 19-23 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... it's not immediately clear what this is (or was) It was placed out here sometime late on Saturday, as far as we know...


[Photo by Derek Berg]

Guess/theories are welcome (and LinkNYC, Lady Gaga or Tom and Gisele have been eliminated as suspects).

Up in vapor: Beyond Vape has left St. Mark's Place

Two weeks ago we repotted that Beyond Vape, the upper-level shop at 19-23 St. Mark's Place, was closing at the end of the month.

Well the vapors have already cleaned out of the space that they started leasing in 2013. At that time, this was the first East Coast location of the California-based chain. Today, there are seven NYC locations of Beyond Vape. Potential costumers here are being directed to the Union Square store.

Meanwhile, next door, the for lease signs have been removed from the windows of Grand Sichuan, which closed back in the fall. Perhaps the two spaces will be combined for a really big _______.

Noted

After this weekend, the Van Gogh mural on St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue now has a runny nose.

The São Paulo-based artist Sipros created this here last May.

Beyond Vape latest shop to depart St. Mark's Place

The sale continues at Beyond Vape, the upper-level shop closing at the end of the month at 19-23 St. Mark's Place...





I do not know why this store is closing, whether it's an unmanageable rent increase or ongoing e-cigarette competition on the block. (Or perhaps the new FDA regulations enacted last spring have made an impact.)

Beyond Vape opened here in late 2013. At that time, it was the growing chain's first East Coast outpost. Today, there are eight other NYC locations of Beyond Vape.

Grand Sichuan closed next door back in the fall. Other more recent closures on this block include Friterie Belgian Fries and Lab -320°.

A look at the retail listing for the northwest corner of A and St. Mark's Place

[Photo from Saturday]

A follow-up to the post yesterday about the combined ex-Nino's and Hop Devil Grill spaces on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place.

A tipster shared the flyer in circulation for the property...



As we understand it, the spaces are very much still on the market. No word on the asking rent. All uses and divisions will be considered.

Meanwhile, a reader left this in the comments yesterday:

I live in the building above it. Last week I spoke to a worker fixing electricity in the building who told me they are upgrading the electrical system because a STARBUCKS is going in...

Aside from this claim from a worker, there isn't any other evidence that this space has any retail tenant. And Starbucks has been a handy rumored tenant in recent years ... for the corner of Avenue A and 11th Street and Avenue B and Fourth Street ... the contractor who said that a Starbucks was coming to First Avenue and 13th Street turned out to be correct, though.

The former spaces for Nino's and Hop Devil Grill have been combined

In recent weeks the former Nino's Pizza storefront on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place has been blanketed in graffiti... making it difficult to see what might be going on inside the vacant space. (Not to mention the brown paper.)

The other day a worker wiped away part of the tags, offering a view of the interior...


[From St. Mark's looking north]


[From A looking to the west]

The wall separating the former Hop Devil Grill at 129 St. Mark's Place has been removed, creating one big(ger) space...



There are work permits, dated Oct. 14, on file with the DOB for "interior demo."

No word if there's a tenant for the space or if the landlord is just giving it the vanilla box treatment to show potential tenants.

James Morrissey, who owns The Late Late on East Houston and now VNYL on Third Avenue, had been after the spaces to create The Honey Fitz. Those plans were put on hold, though Morrissey told DNAinfo back in February the he "remains interested in the location, assuming all outstanding lease issues have been resolved."

A for rent sign (which arrived back in April) is barely visible now at the Nino's space...



Nino's closed in October 2015. As previously reported, owner Nino Camaj accepted a low six-figure amount to walk away from his remaining 10-year lease and surrender the pizza shop that he opened in 1989. He had been in a dispute with the landlord over back rent and a closure due to a gas leak in the building.

Hop Devil Grill and its sister bar next door, The Belgian Room, were seized by the state in April 2015 for nonpayment of taxes.

Activity at Nino's, and brown-paper action

Late last week workers placed paper over the windows at the former Nino's, the pizzeria that closed in the fall of 2015 on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place.

EVG reader Peter D. shared these photos from Friday...





As previously reported, owner Nino Camaj accepted a low six-figure amount to walk away from his remaining 10-year lease and surrender the pizza shop that he opened in 1989. He had been in a dispute with the landlord over back rent and a closure due to a gas leak in the building.

No word on what might be coming here. There aren't any work permits on file that match up to a storefront renovation.

James Morrissey, who owns The Late Late on East Houston and now VNYL on Third Avenue, had been after the Nino's space to combine with the former Hop Devil Grill next door to create The Honey Fitz. Those plans were put on hold, though Morrissey told DNAinfo back in February the he "remains interested in the location, assuming all outstanding lease issues have been resolved."

There is also brown paper up in the windows in the same building at the long-vacant spaces on St. Mark's Place that housed Ton-Up Cafe and The Belgian Room... No word what might be coming here either.


[Photo by Steven]

And while we're looking at brown paper in windows on St. Mark's Place... that's the case at the former Box Kite Coffee at No. 115...



After a rather dismissive goodbye in early August, a help-wanted ad appeared inside the storefront for an experienced manager "to reopen"

More rolled ice cream for St. Mark's Place

Renovations continue at a new retail space at 42 1/2 St. Mark's Place just east of Second Avenue... and the signage is up now for the new tenant — the buzzy 10Below Ice Cream ...



The quickly expanding 10Below Ice Cream has locations in Chinatown, the LES (Allen Street as of last month) and Flushing. They are branching out to Los Angeles too.

Here's more from the 10Below website:

10Below Ice Cream is New York’s first establishment serving Thai-inspired ice cream rolls. This concept was created on the streets of Thailand, serving fresh, made-to-order ice cream. Inspired by this ice cream art and by the way bartenders artfully craft cocktails made to order, 10Below blends the two approaches to create an experience for ice cream aficionados with an eclectic palette. We roll each individual ice cream order with the freshest ingredients right in front of your eyes, meaning no preservatives or stabilizers are added. It’s ice cream in its rawest form — fresh off the plate.

Here's a not-annoying-at-all feature on 10Below from the Post last August:

Ever since it opened in July, tucked between Chinese restaurants and spas at 10 Mott St., foodies from far and wide have been waiting up to three hours to get a taste of 10Below, which serves an American twist on Thai ice cream rolls.

Unlike placing a Cronut in a box, the trendy dessert takes about four minutes to create. But that’s part of the show: The ice cream makers call you over to their cold plate before they begin so you can get a front-row view — and an ideal spot to snag a pic with a smartphone.

Another rolled ice cream shop, Lab -321, opened at 27 St. Mark's Place in June.

St. Mark's Place, under the rainbow

Photo from St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue tonight by Sam Teichman