Showing posts with label Yippie Museum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yippie Museum. Show all posts

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Movement underway to reoccupy the Yippie Museum



Several EVG Facebook friends shared this campaign with us... Yippie activist Dana Beal has launched a crowdfunding effort to take back the group's longtime home at 9 Bleecker St.

Here's some of the info via GoFundMe:

For over four decades, #9 Bleecker Street has been the headquarters of American and even international counterculture. It is the official home of the Yippies, (Youth International Party) a group of late 60's activist pranksters initiated by the legendary Abbie Hoffman working to create positive social change by mocking and subverting the establishment.

In 2006, the space was converted into The Yippie! Museum and Cafe. a space devoted to preserving the history of American activism and providing a location where young activists can mobilize – such as the Occupy Wall Street movement who used it to stage meetings and hold fundraisers.

In late 2013, the Yippie! Museum was snatched away by unscrupulous real estate developers who specialize in gentrification. They used deceptive and outright illegal tactics to take possession of the space and shut it down, robbing the national activist community and the world of a vital one-of-a-kind resource and historic location.

We are asking for ALL who read this message to join our crusade to Re-Occupy The Yippie! Museum by making a donation!

As of last night, there were two donations for $38 ... with a $50,000 goal. The money would go to pay "legal bills, maintain the museum's objets d' art, artifacts and documents — including irreplaceable Yippie! archives."

The three-story brick building at No. 9 has been the centerpiece in a long-running foreclosure battle. (Read this story in the Times from January for all the legal wrangling.)

As the Times reported in June 2013, Steven L. Einig, a lawyer for Centech, which holds the building's mortgage, "stated that Yippie Holdings, which bought Number 9 along with a nonprofit called the National AIDS Brigade, had failed for more than five years to make payments on the $1.4 million mortgage."

For their part, a lawyer for Yippie Holdings, said that the group was "compelled into foreclosure with payments being rejected" by Centech as part of a scheme or plan to take over the building.

The Yippies had to be out this past Jan. 17 for new tenants while the fight continued about No. 9's ownership.

The new tenant, Overthrow, named for one of the countercultural newspapers that the Yippies published here, is a boxing gym/training facility/party spot.

In an interview published Nov. 18 at Bedford + Bowery, Beal said, "We’re still fighting the case. We're trying to get a group of people together to pay off a foreclosure, and then we'll have the building – we’ll have the title. And then I'll be renting to [Overthrow]."

Beal also said that he was glad that the space was being rented to some "Yippie-flavored people" who appreciate No. 9's counterculture history.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Yippie Museum Cafe is in financial trouble

The Yippie Museum Cafe will reopen next Wednesday

A bad sign at the Yippie Museum

Last day for the Yippies at No. 9 — for now

Fights of a different kind coming to 9 Bleecker St., longtime home of the Yippies

About Overthrow NYC, the boxing gym coming to the former home of the Yippies at 9 Bleecker St.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

The changing of the facade at 9 Bleecker St.



Signage is up now at the former longtime home of the Yippies here near the Bowery.

The new tenant, Overthrow, named for one of the countercultural newspapers that the Yippies published here, aims to be a boxing gym/training facility.

This past week, Throwback NYC partner Joey Goodwin, aka "the Soho Kid," a Golden Gloves contender, sent us information about the club's Indiegogo campaign (looking to raise $50k).

The crowdfunding page includes a lot of details about what to expect from the space, such as:

Overthrow New York will create a brand and a flagship location, which offers a high intensity anaerobic workout based on classes using boxing as a foundation. overthrow nyc provides a base for those in need of a high intensity work out in an equally cool and historical venue.

Stemming off of the neighborhood’s long history, Overthrow New York will take cues from CBGBs, the Bowery, underground boxing fight club Friday Night Throwdown, and 9 Bleecker street’s own rich counterculture history.

The club

The main level at Overthrow is the first impression for both the fascinated taste-maker and the intrigued passerby. The walls are adorned with framed counterculture and underground posters celebrating the activist history of 9 Bleecker and the punk scene on the Bowery. The main floor will feature the boxing club which will include a branded ring, unique heavy bags and one of a kind speed bags. This area will allow members to check in for group class, shop the Overthrow New York retail concept, grab a juice, or workout with a private trainer.



The locker rooms

Overthrow New York's locker rooms allow members to change and shower before or after their workout. The steamed glass wall dividing the men's locker room from the women's locker room makes for one of the cities sexiest yet grittiest bathrooms.

According to the Indiegogo campaign, the Overthrow folks are currently pitching "Off the Bowery," a television show about the building, concept and team, to production companies.

After a protracted legal battle, the Yippies had to vacate their home of 41 years this past Jan. 17.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Yippie Museum Cafe is in financial trouble

The Yippie Museum Cafe will reopen next Wednesday

A bad sign at the Yippie Museum

Last day for the Yippies at No. 9 — for now

Fights of a different kind coming to 9 Bleecker St., longtime home of the Yippies

About Overthrow NYC, the boxing gym coming to the former home of the Yippies at 9 Bleecker St.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

About Overthrow Boxing Club, the gym coming to the former home of the Yippies at 9 Bleecker St.


[No. 9 this past Saturday]

Here's more information about the three-level boxing gym opening at 9 Bleecker, the former home of the Yippies.

The gym will be called Overthrow Boxing Club, named for Overthrow, one of the countercultural newspapers that the Yippies published here.

In a video posted on June 15, Throwback partner Joey Goodwin, aka "the Soho Kid," a Golden Gloves contender and creative director at men's clothing label Unruly Heir, provides a quick overview of the space.

"We're going to turn this into a great spot, and a great business and make some good things happen," he says. "It's going to be boxing meets punk rock ... we're going to keep the history, keep the heritage, and go from there."

And now the video...



As the Times reported in June 2013, Steven L. Einig, a lawyer for Centech, which holds the building's mortgage, "stated that Yippie Holdings, which bought Number 9 along with a nonprofit called the National AIDS Brigade, had failed for more than five years to make payments on the $1.4 million mortgage."

For their part, a lawyer for Yippie Holdings, said that the group was "compelled into foreclosure with payments being rejected" by Centech as part of a scheme or plan to take over the building.

The Yippies had to vacate their home of 41 years this past Jan. 17 while litigation continued. The space here near the Bowery had been on the market for $22,500 in monthly rent.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Yippie Museum Cafe is in financial trouble

The Yippie Museum Cafe will reopen next Wednesday

A bad sign at the Yippie Museum

Last day for the Yippies at No. 9 — for now

Fights of a different kind coming to 9 Bleecker St., longtime home of the Yippies

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Fights of a different kind coming to 9 Bleecker St., longtime home of the Yippies


[EVG file photo from April]

Back in January, workers began clearing out the 41-year-old home of the Yippies at 9 Bleecker St. near the Bowery. The three-story brick building has been the centerpiece in a long-running foreclosure battle. (Read this story in the Times from January for all the legal wrangling.)

Yesterday, EVG reader Thomas Anomalous spotted workers gutting the space. Someone had swept out old copies of The Yipster Times, one of two countercultural newspapers once published here.





As the Times reported in June 2013, Steven L. Einig, a lawyer for Centech, which holds the building's mortgage, "stated that Yippie Holdings, which bought Number 9 along with a nonprofit called the National AIDS Brigade, had failed for more than five years to make payments on the $1.4 million mortgage."

For their part, a lawyer for Yippie Holdings, said that the group was "compelled into foreclosure with payments being rejected" by Centech as part of a scheme or plan to take over the building.

The Yippies had to be out on Jan. 17 for new tenants while the fight continued about No. 9's ownership. As we first reported last November, the building was on the market as a rental.

According to that listing, the space — asking $22,500 in monthly rent — has been rented.



Bedford + Bowery reported that the space will be converted into a boxing gym.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Yippie Museum Cafe is in financial trouble

The Yippie Museum Cafe will reopen next Wednesday

A bad sign at the Yippie Museum

Last day for the Yippies at No. 9 — for now

Friday, January 17, 2014

Last day for the Yippies at No. 9 — for now


[Photo from Monday]

The ongoing legal battle continues at the 41-year-old home of the Yippie Museum at 9 Bleecker St. near the Bowery. Members at the headquarters of the counterculture group have been fighting an attempt by a lender to foreclose on the building.

Last Wednesday, New York State Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Oing ruled that 9 Bleecker St. must be cleared out by today. However, as the Yippie Museum Facebook page explains:

The Judge ruled that 9 Bleecker needs to be empty ... but he did not order that Yippie Holdings and National AIDS Brigade be held in contempt ($250/day fine from mid-May 2013) and he did not give permission for the receiver to auction off (or throw out) [founder Dana Beal's] property.

Beal is currently serving a four-to-six year prison sentence after being caught hauling 150 pounds of pot in a van in Ashland, Neb., in 2009.

Back to the Yippie Facebook page:

[The judge] has not seen the summary judgment motion yet — the one that decides whether the Yippies lose the building permanently. That motion is still being processed by the clerks. It's not clear when we will appear in court to argue it.

That means that the big-picture issue in the case, i.e. who gets ownership of the building, has not been decided yet. The Judge made that point very clear.



As the Times reported in June 2013, Steven L. Einig, a lawyer for Centech, which holds the building's mortgage, "stated that Yippie Holdings, which bought Number 9 along with a nonprofit called the National AIDS Brigade, had failed for more than five years to make payments on the $1.4 million mortgage."

For their part, a lawyer for Yippie Holdings, said that the group was "compelled into foreclosure with payments being rejected" by Centech as part of a scheme or plan to take over the building.

Meanwhile, the building remains on the market to rent.

Paul DeRienzo shared some photos from the clean out yesterday …













Previously on EV Grieve:
The Yippie Museum Cafe is in financial trouble

The Yippie Museum Cafe will reopen next Wednesday

A bad sign at the Yippie Museum

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

A bad sign at the Yippie Museum



A "for rent" sign now hangs above the 40-year-old home of the Yippie Museum at 9 Bleecker St. near the Bowery.

Tough times here of late at the headquarters of the counterculture group … Back on June 10, Colin Moynihan at The New York Times reported that Yippie leaders have been locked in an ongoing legal battle … fighting an attempt by a lender to foreclose on their home.

In addition, the Harmony Kitchen, the food vendor at the Yippie Museum Cafe, closed at the end of June. The space was closed during July for a "re-calculating" … eventually reopening at the end of the month.

This past Friday, the Yippie Museum Facebook page offered up the latest on the legal wrangling here:

The October court action fended off a summary eviction of Dana and Co. and Atty Noah Potter has arranged a court date for January where he will present documents in his possession that will help save #9. If justice may be had in today's courts...

Yippie leader and activist Dana Beal is currently serving a four-to-six year prison sentence after being caught hauling 150 pounds of pot in a van in Ashland, Neb., in 2009.

Back to Facebook:

Even a win there won't fully save #9, though. What is really needed is more people to come to #9 for meetings and events to raise funds and consciousness. This space is NOT a relic of the past but a living historical site for today's activist generation. USE IT OR LOSE IT has never had a better object lesson than at #9!!

For now, events continue to take place in the space…



Meanwhile, the building is on the market. According to the Corcoran listing:

Exceptional opportunity to rent an entire building in prime Greenwich Village / NoHo. The bottom two floors feature bars that are built out already. But these could also work well for retail. And the top two floors can be used for either residential or office space. Each of the 4 floors is approximately 1600 square feet.

This is truly an unbeatable Greenwich Village / NoHo location, on a block with high and brilliant visibility for business. Original details still in tact - including exposed brick, and a cast iron honey comb curved skylight which graces the ground floor, with 13' 6" ceilings. Old world charm ready for a new world establishment

Asking price: $25,000

As the Yippie Museum Facebook page says: "time to save the yippie museum from the crapitalist wrecking ball..don't let 9 bleecker street turn into a gentrified yuppie boutique."

H/T @JonSpiegler

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Yippie Museum Cafe is in financial trouble

The Yippie Museum Cafe will reopen next Wednesday