Showing posts with label Trash and Vaudeville. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trash and Vaudeville. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

RIP Jimmy Webb


[Photo for EVG by Walter Wlodarczyk]

Word is circulating that Jimmy Webb, a familiar figure in the East Village during his long tenure as the manager and buyer at Trash & Vaudeville, has died of cancer. He was in his early 60s, friends say. (An official statement about his death has not yet been issued.)

Webb, once referred to as "punk rock's unofficial shopkeeper," counted everyone from Iggy Pop and Debbie Harry to Slash and Duff McKagan from Guns N' Roses as friends. Most recently, he owned and operated the rock 'n' roll boutique I Need More on Orchard Street.

Here's more on Webb's past via a New York Times feature from 2013:

“I’m from a hillbilly town upstate where they hunt deer,” he said. “We walked to the creek with Boone’s Farm a friend’s older sister bought us and listened to ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ on a transistor radio.”

Lou Reed’s 1972 ode to hustlers, transsexuals and transsexual hustlers would alter Mr. Webb’s life. “A friend asked, ‘Do you know what it means?’ ” he recalled. “I did without knowing it. I knew I was a boy that had to leave to go somewhere.”

At 16, he ran away to New York with a pillowcase full of clothes. It was 1975. “Coming into Trash and Vaudeville my first time, I knew I’d found a home and I wasn’t crazy,” he said.

At first, Mr. Webb worked as a bar-back in a gay establishment on the Upper West Side at the height of the neighborhood’s Needle Park infamy, attended hair school (he flunked grandiosely) and was a regular at CBGB. He fell into heroin addiction for 20 years and lived in Tompkins Square Park, eventually returning upstate.

“It got worse before it got better,” he said. “They thought I was going to die. After rebuilding my body and spirit, I wanted to go back to the city I loved.”

He started working at his dream destination, Trash & Vaudeville, in 1999, and remained there until the shop relocated from St. Mark's Place to Seventh Street in 2016.


[Photo from 2013 by James Maher]

There are many tributes to Webb on Instagram. A sampling:






Webb eventually opened I Need More in October 2017.

In an interview with EVG prior to the launch, he talked about why he decided to open his shop on the Lower East Side.

I didn’t pick the Lower East Side, or any special place for I Need More. I was very open to where the rock 'n' roll angels were leading me when I finally decided to open a store ... Loving all of New York City I was very open to anywhere in Manhattan. My heart and spirit is in ALL of New York City.

Of course the Lower East Side is a HUGE part of my life since I ran away and arrived in the city in 1975. So I wasn’t the least bit surprised when that second batch of angels ended up leading me right to 75 Orchard Street — 75A in fact! How cool is that? I take that leap of faith and run away to New York City in 1975 as a 16-year-old boy. Decades later another leap of faith leaving everything I know and ending up at 75A Orchard Street.

In late February, the shop hosted a “Footprints in February” celebration, in which Debbie Harry and Iggy Pop put their handprints, footprints and autographs in concrete on the floor of I Need More.

His exuberant, all-cap writing style on Instagram posts captured his love of rock 'n' roll and the people who are part of it ...


Previously on EV Grieve:
Jimmy Webb will make dreams come true with new rock 'n' roll boutique I Need More

Friday, October 4, 2019

Chi Snack Shop moves into the former Trash & Vaudeville space on St. Mark's Place


[Photos by Steven]

After three years at 22 St. Mark's Place, Chi Snack Shop has moved to a larger retail space on the block here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...



The shop, which carries an array of Japanese and Korean snacks as well as beauty products and random lingerie, has moved into the parlor level of 4 St. Mark's Place...





The landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place — aka the Hamilton-Holly House, circa 1831 — recently underwent a two-year gut renovation. As previously noted, the renovation included an expansion in the back of the building, doubling the number of residential units from three to six.

Chi Snack Shop marks the first retail tenant for the all-new No. 4. Wanyoo, a Shanghai-based cyber cafe chain, reportedly signed a lease for the garden space early last year. No sign of them just yet.

Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St., where it remains today.

The Hamilton-Holly House was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The Federal-style townhouse changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016.

In June, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) approved developer Real Estate Equities Corporation's (REEC) plan to transfer air rights from the 4 St. Mark's Place to add square footage to their office building coming to the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place. Under terms of the air-rights transfer, 5 percent of the $4 million sale will go into a dedicated account for the landmark to maintain its upkeep.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

You'll be back: Look at the renovated Hamilton-Holly House on St. Mark's Place

FULL full reveal at the historic Hamilton-Holly House on St. Mark's Place

Friday, February 16, 2018

Former Trash & Vaudeville space on St. Mark's Place to become Wanyoo cyber café



Wanyoo, a Shanghai-based cyber cafe chain, has signed a lease for the two-level retail space at 4 St. Mark's Place.

The cafe, which has a location in Flushing, reportedly signed a 20-year lease for 2,600 square feet on the ground floor and 1,400 square feet in the basement of the under-renovation landmarked building between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.


[Via the Wanyoo website]

They optimistically hope to be open early this summer.

Until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St.

The Hamilton-Holly House (aka 4 St. Mark's Place), built in 1831, was once owned by Alexander Hamilton’s son. The building, which changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016 for $10 million, is currently undergoing a gut renovation and expansion.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place


[Via]

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

More residential units and a 5th-floor addition in the works for landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place

Monday, June 6, 2016

4 St. Mark's Place gets the plywood treatment



Workers finished putting up the plywood outside 4 St. Mark's Place on Friday...



Until this past February, the retail space was home to Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. (The store is now at 96 E. Seventh St.)

The storefront is for rent via Eastern Consolidated. It appears that the space will be divided into two different storefronts, based on the listing...



Details per the listing:

Upper Retail: 2,600 Square Feet
Lower Retail: 2,600 Square Feet
Storage Space: 1,500 Square Feet

Asking Rent
Upper Retail: $160 PSF
Lower Retail: $135 PSF (including storage basement)

The listing notes that the landlord will deliver a fully renovated space. The only permit on file so far with the DOB is for the construction fence.

As for the landlord. The landmarked building (whose first owner in 1833 was Alexander Hamilton’s son) sold for $10 million in the spring. According to public records, the LLC that bought the property shares an address with Castellan Real Estate Partners/Liberty Place Property Management. (These landlords have been in the news in the past.)

The building, which includes four apartments here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue, arrived on the market last fall for $11.9 million.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

4 St. Mark's Place is for sale

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

The for lease sign is now up at 4 St. Mark's Place



The for lease sign has arrived outside 4 St. Mark's Place, the former home of Trash & Vaudeville.

The signage went up yesterday...and the listing for the retail space hasn't been posted to the Eastern Consolidated website just yet.

The landmarked building between Second Avenue and Third Avenue recently changed hands for $10 million. The buyer's identity hasn't been revealed to date.

As for Trash and Vaudeville, the shop continues on at 96 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Checking in on Trash & Vaudeville

Trash & Vaudeville has been up and running in its new home at 96 E. Seventh St. (Day 10!) ... and in a post on Racked today, owner Ray Goodman talks about the store's 40-plus-year history, starting in 1975 at 4 St. Mark's Place... his merchandising philosophy and longtime collaboration with T&V manager Jimmy Webb.

An excerpt from Goodman:

We're always looking to find new things — We have our core theme, but we build around it. We keep layering on it and layering on it. We have our basics, and our basics are black skinny jeans and black motorcycle jackets. We're always going to have Beatle boots, and we're always going to have creepers. I know I'm going to sell more black leather and black suede Beatle boots then I'm going to sell green python Beatle boots, but I still need green python Beatle boots because they're so damn cool.

Previously

Thumbnail image by Jono Bernstein/Racked

Saturday, March 19, 2016

A new era for Trash & Vaudeville begins today



Trash and Vaudeville opened this morning at 11:30 in their new home at 96 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue... EVG correspondent Steven shared these photos...



...where longtime manager Jimmy Webb will be spotted on his smoking breaks...



You can find a few interior shots of the new space on the store's Instagram account.

Rising rents and a change in the business environment on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue were among the reasons for the move ... from 4 St. Mark's Place to East Seventh Street.

Friday, March 11, 2016

St. Mark's Place without the Trash & Vaudeville signage; No. 4 in contract



Meanwhile, across St. Mark's Place, workers removed the rest of the neon signage at Trash & Vaudeville at No. 4 on Wednesday.

As you know, the shop is relocating from its home here since 1975 to 96 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. They haven't announced an opening date just yet. Their website remains open for business should the need arise in the interim.

Last November, 4 St. Mark's Place, the landmarked building whose first owner in 1833 was Alexander Hamilton’s son, arrived on the market with an asking price of $11.9 million.

According to the Eastern Consolidated website, the building is in contract...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

'Gentrification in Progress' tape arrives at former Trash & Vaudeville and Stage Restaurant spaces

Thursday, March 3, 2016

'Gentrification in Progress' tape arrives at former Trash & Vaudeville and Stage Restaurant spaces

The tape arrived late Wednesday night outside the former Trash and Vaudeville storefront on St. Mark's Place ...



... and the Stage Restaurant on Second Avenue...



Thanks to EVG correspondent Steven for the photos (and H/T Ed B.)

Trash and Vaudeville closed after business on Sunday ahead of a move to 96 E. Seventh St. Rising rents and a change in the business environment on this block of St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue were among the reasons for the move. The Stage announced its permanent closure earlier on Wednesday.

The tape is the work of the artist GILF, who previously has cordoned off the Germania Bank Building at 190 Bowery with her creation.

Goodbye red lights #gentrificationinprogress

A photo posted by gilf! (@gilfnyc) on



Updated 6:30 a.m.

BoweryBoogie notes that GILF also placed the tape at the former St. Mark's Bookshop.

Updated 8 a.m.

Morning views...




[Photo by Lola Sāenz]

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Final visits to 5 downtown businesses


[Patricia Field, center with red hair, with her friends and fans in front of her namesake store on its closing day Sunday at 5 p.m.]

Text and photos by Nick McManus

This past Sunday, a team of close friends and I took group portraits at five downtown businesses that are either moving from their longtime homes or closing forever as February came to a close.

We started at Patricia Field at 306 Bowery with Patricia herself. She's giving up the boutique business after 50 years to focus on her film and TV work.

We continued on to Trash and Vaudeville on St. Mark's Place where we were joined by longtime manager Jimmy Webb. (The store is moving to 96 E. Seventh St. this month.)




[Jimmy Webb in the front row with co-workers at Trash and Vaudeville]

We then walked to Soho to Pearl River Mart, where the staff was camera shy but let us take photos in the store on Broadway. The 45-year-old Pearl River Mart closes this week after its monthly rent multiplied 12x to upwards of $500,000.


[Last purchases at Pearl River Mart]

Afterward we visited the Soho location of Eastern Mountain Sports on Broadway to offer them warm wishes before heading back to the East Village to say goodbye to one of the best bookstores NYC will ever know, St. Mark's Bookshop.


[The staff and patrons of Eastern Mountain Sports' Soho location on its closing day Sunday]


[St. Mark's Bookshop staff member and artist Janet Bruesselbach, top right, sharing wine with her customers on the shop's final day at 7 p.m.]

Our team consisted of nightlife scion Pebbles Russell, who herself said goodbye to her home at Sway Lounge last December, artists Gabriel Specter and Jackson Lin, stylist Goldie Rush, costume tailor Amy McClure and Cara Brininstool. All were fans of these businesses and everyone did a great deal of shopping as we thanked those behind the counter for so many years of good times.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Closing time: Portraits of 3 newly shuttered storefronts

Closing portraits at The Sock Man

A final group photo at Vic's Pizza on Essex Street

Monday, February 29, 2016

See you on East 7th Street


[Photo from September by Fenton Lawless]

As you probably know, Trash and Vaudeville closed yesterday after 41 years at 4 St. Mark's Place ... to start packing up to move to a new space at 96 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.


[EVG photo of 96 E. 7th St. from yesterday]

And this photo on East Seventh Street from last July by @chardog1 provided a sneak preview of what's to come...



An article published Friday on the Vogue website had a few details on the new store:

As on St. Marks, both Trash and Vaudeville will continue to exist on two levels. At the Seventh Street digs, they’ll be connected via an internal staircase, and those in the market for towering T.U.K. platform creepers can take comfort in the fact that the storied shoe department will still be housed on the lower level.

And here's an excerpt from our conversation with store owner Ray Goodman from July:

"I love St. Mark's Place. There's no doubt it. There's something magical about it. This just isn't any block," Goodman told us on the phone. "The decision wasn't something that I took lightly. From a business perspective, we saw a shift in the clientele. The block is not as conducive for fashion shopping as it once was. Now it seems as if it's all food — fast food — and bongs. Even stores that aren't bong stores sell bongs."

He said that the changing business environment on the block between Second Avenue and Third Avenue was just one of many factors that played into the decision to relocate.

"The retail world is so different today," he said. "So much of it is done online."

And increasing rents are always a culprit.

"The rent is creeping up," said Goodman, who is a minority partner in the ownership of the historic Hamilton-Holly House at 4 St. Mark's Place. "Rent was a factor, but it wasn't the sole reason."

In a piece on the closing today, The New York Times noted that the rent had risen to $45,000. (That will require a lot of sales of water pipes, ramen or bubble tea...items that a likely new tenant might sell.)

Last November, 4 St. Mark's Place, the landmarked building whose first owner in 1833 was Alexander Hamilton’s son, arrived on the market. Asking price: $11.9 million.

In the past few days, several people on social media said that they'd miss the site of longtime store manager Jimmy Webb on a smoking break outside the shop...


[Photo by James Maher from 2013]


[Photo by James Maher from 2014]

In closing, a passage from that Vogue piece by Kristin Anderson:

While passersby may not ever again know the pleasure of seeing the store’s most famous employee, Jimmy Webb, lounging on those steps ... he’ll continue his reign when Goodman and co. open their doors in the new space ...

The new location is expected to be open some time in March.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Farewells

Today is the last day for three longtime businesses... two are permanent closures and one is a closure ahead of a relocation...


[EVG photo from last week]

Patricia Field is retiring from the boutique business after 50 years. She started in the West Village in 1966, and has been at 306 Bowery the last few years. This store closes today. Field has said that she is now going to concentrate on her film and TV work.

The 306 storefront is for lease.

-----



Today is also the last day for St. Mark's Bookshop at 136 E. Third St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. Any remaining books and magazines are going for $2. This is the shop's fourth location since opening on St. Mark's Place in 1977.

Ada Calhoun's piece published at The New Yorker on Feb. 12 titled "What went wrong at St. Mark's Bookshop" gives you the background about what happened here.

-----



And as we first reported last summer, Trash and Vaudeville is leaving its home of 41 years at 4 St. Mark's Place ... for a new space at 96 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.