Empire Gyro announces itself on Allen and Houston

The sign crew arrived on Sunday (top pic!) here on the southeast corner of Allen and Houston to install the new tenant's marquee... and here's Empire Gyro...



The Times reported last month that the 24/7 restaurant will serve a menu that includes soups, salads, kebabs and shawarma. (And no relation to Empire Biscuit!)



The Sugar Cafe closed here in February 2017 after 10-plus years in business. A rent increase — perhaps as much as double the previous ask — was reportedly behind the closing.

Previously on EV Grieve:
'Mediterranean fusion' for the former Sugar Cafe on Houston and Allen

'Mediterranean fusion' for the former Sugar Cafe on Houston and Allen

[Photos from Aug. 14]

The Times has more details in its real-estate transactions about the new venture coming to 200 Allen St. at East Houston, where workers have been renovating the space since the late summer.

Per the Times:

A Mediterranean fusion casual restaurant, to feature soups, salads, kebabs and shawarma, has signed a 10-year lease for a 500-square-foot corner space ... A city sidewalk permit for a glass-enclosed space would add another 500 square feet. (The former tenant, Sugar Cafe, had such a permit in place over the years.)

The tenant is listed as OYA, with principals Orhan Albayrak and Yigit Ozcelik.



No word on the restaurant's name in the Times piece. "Mediterranean fusion" sounds pretty fancy. BoweryBoogie heard it was going to be called a less-fancy sounding Empire Gyro Kebab.

The annual rent on the space, which includes a 1,000-square-foot basement, is $180,000 ($15k a month), per the Times.

The Sugar Cafe closed here in February 2017 after 10-plus years in business. A rent increase — perhaps as much as double the previous ask — was reportedly behind the closing.

Sugar Cafe has closed

As expected, the 24/7 cafe on Houston and Allen shut its doors after service yesterday.

This note greets patrons...



BoweryBoogie had previously heard that a rent increase — perhaps as much as double the current ask — was behind the closing.

The narrow cafe had been here for 10-plus years.

For now, a few desserts remain behind ...

Report: Sugar Cafe closes after service on Sunday

Sugar Cafe, the slender 24/7 mainstay on East Houston and Allen Street these past 10-plus years, is expected to shut down after service on Sunday.

DNAinfo confirmed the closure with three employees last evening. BoweryBoogie had previously heard that a rent increase — perhaps as much as double the current ask — was behind the closing.

Sugar Cafe is back open

Sugar Cafe on the corner of East Houston and Allen Street reopened its doors yesterday.

As we first noted on Aug. 16, the cafe had to close for undisclosed plumbing issues...there was some thought that the closure was tied to the ongoing/never-ever-ending East Houston Street Reconstruction Project that has been hurting local businesses.