Tompkins Square Bagels owner explores opening a fish market on First Avenue

[Photo by Blue Glass]

After learning that the former Something Sweet space on First Avenue is for rent, Tompkins Square Bagels owner Christopher Pugliese has expressed interest in opening a fish market here at the corner of East 11th Street.

"I wish I had some fancy elaborate business plan to lay out, but basically I just want to sell fish on First Avenue," he said.

But this isn't exactly some whim. Pugliese has been thinking about such an idea for awhile. He explored a fish/cheese/meat market concept for the former Diablo Royale Este next door to his shop on Avenue A... though that plan didn't work with the landlord, who wants to keep a liquor license on the premises. (Pugliese said any market concept would remain alcohol free.)

"I think it would be great because right now people have to walk all the way to Whole Foods to get a halfway decent piece of fish," he said. "When they do this, they probably buy other goods there too instead of spending money at Commodities, Russo's or Veniero's. Best case scenario, this corner of First Avenue turns into a kind of food shopping hub."

Previous ideas for a fishmonger in the neighborhood were fairly well-received.

However, Pugliese has been met with some resistance.

"Some of my friends I've told think it's nuts to try this and even the landlord of the space made it a point to tell me, 'Listen kid, nobody in the East Village cooks,'" Pugliese said. "I think they're wrong. I think this is yet another hole in the neighborhood that needs to be filled."

And this hasn't been the first time people weren't into his ideas.

"I may not get this space. I had the idea for [Tompkins Square Bagels] for many years before I actually got it opened. I had to see a lot of landlords. If a fish market doesn't happen here, then I'll just keep trying."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Tompkins Square Bagels turns 1

Tompkins Square Bagels turns 1

This weekend, Tompkins Square Bagels celebrates its one-year anniversary at 165 Avenue A. On the eve of the occasion, we asked proprietor Christopher Pugliese to reflect on the past year.

On the local community:

"I'd really like people to know how thankful I am for their support. I've met so many amazing people at Tompkins Square Bagels this past year, you could not imagine. Every type of person. What a great great community we have. Anyone who says the spirit of the East Village is gone or done is absolutely wrong. The people are here."

On what he's most proud of:

"One of the things I'm most proud of, and maybe something that landlords should pay attention to, is that I made it without a liquor license. They were dangling that in front of me like a carrot if i agreed to pay a little more in rent. I made a decision early on — no liquor, no cigarettes, no targeting the school kids around the block by filling my place with junk food and candy. No lotto tickets. I was going to either live or die being a responsible member of the community. And I lived."

On the future:

"I'd love to put an old-fashioned Italian-style pork store/market type of place in the Diablo Royale Este space next door. [The bar temporarily closed late in August; it is not expected to return. The space is on the market.] I want to knock down a wall in TSB and connect the two. I want to have meats, fish, cheeses, coffee, bread, groceries, pre-made food, pasta, etc.

I'm interested in doing this because I live here and, personally, I'm tired of having to walk blocks and blocks for a decent piece of fish or some good pasta. Where I grew up in Brooklyn, we had places like Pastosa Ravioli. Have you ever been to one? It's like an Italian pork store, pasta shop and gourmet food place all rolled into one. There's a real neighborhood here on Avenue A. The people are here. Yet, they don't have basic needs met like a good market."

Previously.

More on the Tompkins Square Bagels bust

The NYPD identified the man arrested for allegedly stealing a laptop computer and other items from Tompkins Square Bagels last week.

He is 18-year-old Christopher Lyles, according to the NYPD Daily Blotter at the Post, who reported that he was linked to 10 other recent robberies in the area. The NYPD made the arrest on Friday.

Arrest made in connection with burglary at Tompkins Square Bagels

Yesterday we reported that a man had robbed Tompkins Square Bagels on Avenue A. Owner Christopher Pugliese shared details with us here. Pugliese just passed along word that the NYPD made an arrest:

The police spotted him on First Avenue and 14th Street. They recognized him from the pictures and arrested him. Some officers stopped by the shop and let me know. They were pretty happy — I think they were looking for this guy for a long time.

Pugliese said earlier that the NYPD believed the same man had allegedly been responsible for a string of robberies in the neighborhood.

Tompkins Square Bagels robbed; suspect captured on surveillance cameras

This was the scene outside Tompkins Square Bagels late yesterday afternoon on Avenue A...

Later, on the phone, owner Christopher Pugliese explained what happened. On Tuesday, TSB received a delivery around 12:40 p.m. During a lunch rush, the staff didn't notice that the vendor didn't close the basement doors on the sidewalk. That's when a man apparently walked down into the cellar.

A TSP employee entered the basement and spotted the man, who claimed that he was a city inspector. The employee went upstairs to find Pugliese. During that time, the man quickly left.

Upon closer inspection yesterday, Pugliese noticed that several small items were missing, most notably a laptop. The police who responded to the call said that they have been on the hunt for a man who has allegedly robbed a handful of other local restaurants.

The NYPD told Pugliese that the man captured in TSP's basement surveillance cameras is the person they are seeking to question in connection with the other robberies.

Said Pugliese: "Police say this guy is fearless."

Noted

Spotted outside Tompkins Square Bagels on Avenue A.

Photo by Shawn Chittle.

A forest grows on Avenue A

East Village-based artist Scooter LaForge has been painting a scene outside Tompkins Square Bagels on Avenue A near East 10th Street... which includes a red-tailed hawk... (and a cat)

Photos by Stacie Joy.

Local blogger immortalized in chicken cutlets, cheese, onions

So. Several readers have pointed out new menu items at the recently opened Tompkins Square Bagels on Avenue A...

Thanks to owner Christopher Pugliese, who was kind enough to create this in our name.

And how come Chittle gets the bacon on his sandwich?

Chalk vandals targeting Avenue A sidewalks now

Oh, wait... outside Tompkins Square Bagels this afternoon...

[Thanks to Dan on 13th for this shot!]

Tompkins Square Bagels is now officially open

At 167 Avenue A near 10th Street.

Previously.

[A little earlier today... via Dave on 7th]

Tompkins Square Bagels open for a test run

Over at 167 Avenue A at 10th Street, Tompkins Square Bagels is inching toward its grand opening... and owner Christopher Pugliese is going for a test run this afternoon...

... and he found some willing test subjects for his bagels...

Previously.

Inside Tompkins Square Bagels

Bagels Return To The Lower East Side from Shawn Chittle on Vimeo.

Many thanks to Shawn Chittle for creating this video that takes us inside the coming soon Tompkins Square Bagels on Avenue A ... Among other things, owner Christopher Pugliese walks us through his unique bagel-making process...

Tompkins Square Bagels sign is up

[Photo by Shawn Chittle]

The mosaic sign created by Jim Power went up this afternoon at Tompkins Square Bagels on Avenue A near 10th Street... We'll have more on the opening date later... We had the first look inside the shop in September.

Here's the interview that we did with owner Christopher Pugliese in July 2010.

The Mosaic Man is working on the Tompkins Square Bagels sign

Here at 165 Avenue A, Jim "the Mosaic Man" Power has been working on the new sign for the coming-soon Tompkins Square Bagels... he was there yesterday...

...and here's a look at the sign in progress...

...and a few days before that...

And have you been to Jim's new website? It's right here.

Meanwhile, the shop will also exhibit the work of local artists on a regular (monthly?) basis... first up, V.H. McKenzie and her metro used subway transit card art ... She'll be featuring some neighborhood scenes, such as the TSP Ratstravaganza...

She's also soliciting ideas for local/East Village scenes or icons that she could paint on the cards, so if you have an idea...

Previously.

First look inside Tompkins Square Bagels

Tompkins Square Bagels at 165 Avenue A is closer now to an opening date. The blue plywood is finally down...

EV Grieve contributor Shawn Chittle takes a look inside... and reports that owner Christopher Pugliese hopes to open by Oct. 1. Per Shawn: "It's looking real good. All sorts of real wood tables, accents, and lots of places for food that you can run in and grab and go or sit and relax. People waiting for M14 bus have a new place to sit and grab a coffee and bagel. Couldn't be better."

Previously.

On Avenue A, a bagel oven for Tompkins Square Bagels

Yesterday, Tompkins Square Bagels at 165 Avenue A near 10th Street took a big step toward its opening date with the delivery of a bagel oven and dough mixer ...

Christopher Pugliese, part owner of Court Street Bagels in Cobble Hill, is eyeing an Aug. 1 opening ... we'll have more on all this later...

Previously.

Clearing up any bagel rumors

Apparently there are some rumors about how Christopher Pugliese plans to operate Tompkins Square Bagels on Avenue A once it opens. He left this comment about the speculation:

I am NOT, NO WAY, EVER, going to stay open 24 hours. I'm 40 years old with a wife and (hopefully) kids on the way. 24 hours ain't going to happen. All 40 of said years have been spent on the streets on NYC. I understand, and have respect for the fact that people LIVE HERE. My Nana and Papa, Mom and Dad, me, we all grew up in busy parts of town. I'm not going to let anything happen in my shops that I wouldn't want to happen if they were living upstairs. THE STORE WILL NOT BE LOUD OR NOISY. But don't take my word for it, go and check out my other shops in Brooklyn and see for yourself. We are small time, hard working, decent guys. WE DON'T and never will sell cigarettes, whatever those things are called that kids roll joints with, beer, win, or lottery tickets. PLEASE, before you go and make all kinds of bad feelings and accusations, get your facts in order.

You may read the rest here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Coming this fall to Avenue A: Tompkins Square Bagels

As the bagel rolls

As we first reported back in July, Christopher Pugliese planned to open Tompkins Square Bagels at 165 Avenue A... Then! Plans were changed, and he was expected, instead, to open a few storefronts to the north at 171 Avenue A..

Pugliese, who owns the three Bagel World shops in Brooklyn, told me yesterday that he has gone back to 165 Avenue A — and he has signed the lease. A late fall opening is still expected.

He also has encouraging words for small-business owners. "It's a tenants market right now. Don't be afraid to negotiate and be tough about it. If you have a good biz and can pay your rent on time, it actually means something right now," he told me. "That and the fact that — seriously — I would not even be in the game if not for the people at CB3 and the folks (especially Avenue A residents) who put the kibosh on bar after bar after bar."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Coming this fall to Avenue A: Tompkins Square Bagels

Tompkins Square Bagels has a new address

In July, I reported that , Christopher Pugliese would open Tompkins Square Bagels here at 165 Avenue A....



In recent weeks, things have changed a bit... He will now be opening shop — expected Nov. 1 — a few storefronts to the north...at 171 Avenue A... most recently the possible home of Keith Masco's fish market/eatery...



I'll tell you the story about the Why behind this address change soon enough...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Coming this fall to Avenue A: Tompkins Square Bagels

Coming this fall to Avenue A: Tompkins Square Bagels

Last Monday, I pointed out that a bagel shop may open at 165 Avenue A in the former Monk Thrift space... that it would be from the people who own the Bagel World stores in Brooklyn.

Well, Christopher Pugliese who runs those shops has confirmed the opening. As he said: "We're going to bring the bagel back to the East Village."

Pugliese, who has lived in the East Village the last four years, shared a lot of information with me (including the rent amount: $9,000 monthly) ... so here are some excerpts:

---

If all goes well, we should be open by October the latest. When David's closed, I was very angry/disappointed. That's when the seed was planted to open a shop. I was kind of on the fence about it for a while. After I learned about how David's was pushed out by Hot and Crusty, I was motivated and on a mission to open.

----

My partners and I grew up in Brooklyn and we've been making bagels since we were kids. We're going to hand roll and kettle boil our bagels. The whole place is going to be old school NYC. We're naming it Tompkins Square Bagels. We're all big into NYC history. We'll have a full deli with cold cuts, home made cream cheeses, lox, whitefish, etc. I'm going to bring in a chef to do some simple breakfast, brunch and dinner food.

----

We are going to try to keep the prices really low in hopes of becoming more of a local neighborhood folks kind of spot. I'm hoping to work closely with the schools and Boys and Girls Clubs in the area, be active in the community, sponsor different events, and hire kids from the neighborhood.

---

We have three shops in Brooklyn and none of them sell beer or cigarettes. I won't here either. We won't seek a liquor license. That said, I now understand why Alphabet City is overflowing with bars and restaurants yet at the same time lacking the most basic of neighborhood businesses; butcher, bookshop, fish market, etc. The only way anybody can afford to pay the insane rents that landlords around here are asking is to sell something you can markup as much as liquor.

---

Honestly, some nights I get really freaked out about whether or not I'm making the right decision. None of my shops pay anywhere near that amount [of rent] and I'm in great areas: Park Slope, Cobble Hill and Fort Greene. If we're not extremely popular right from the get go, we probably won't last a year.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Bagels for Avenue A?