Reader report: K'ook has closed on 6th Street

An EVG reader shared the news that K'ook has closed at 324 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

The reader called on Sunday to place an order and was told that the restaurant serving both traditional and modern fusion Korean food was permanently shuttered. 

While there isn't any official notice, K'ook is no longer on any of the delivery platforms... and someone removed all the signage from the space's exterior. 

"I'm devastated by the loss of traditional Korean cuisine in this neighborhood," the reader told us. 

Chef-partner Felicia Park who worked at Hanjoo on St. Mark's Place (her parents ran Hanjoo in Flushing) opened here in the spring of 2015. 

K'ook took over the address from the short-lived Jewel of India, another loss of the rapidly dwindling Little India at the time. 

The owners of Jewel of India were also behind Raj Mahal next door... and we can't recall the last time we saw that place open...

Malai Marke is now the last Indian restaurant on this block of Sixth Street.

Snack Stop shutters on St. Mark's Place

Photo by Steven

Word is circulating that Snack Stop has closed in the eastern storefront at 58 St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (Vegan Grill is in the western space.)

As the name implied, the shop sold a variety of snacks... opening late last year.

The space had been vacant since Clay Pot didn't reopen after the PAUSE of March 2020.

And once upon a recent time, Natori, a longtime favorite, closed here in late 2012. 

On 7th Street, neighboring businesses 75 Degrees Cafe & Bakery and Baonanas have closed

Photos by Steven 

Two side-by-side businesses have closed at 93 E. Seventh St. just east of First Avenue. 

Door signage states that Baonanas, which offers its take on banana pudding and other desserts, "is closed until TBD."

Their neighbor to the west, 7th Street Burger, is selling half-pints of their desserts. 

Real-life couple Trisha Villanueva and Lloyd Ortuoste started Baonanas in Jersey City in 2014... and debuted here in the spring of 2022.

Meanwhile, in the storefront to the east, 75 Degrees Cafe & Bakery has officially closed...

A note on the door states, "Unfortunately, our time in the East Village has come to an end..."

The business, described as a "modern Japanese-inspired cafe," opened in November 2021. 

The Whiskey Ward set to close next month on Essex Street

On the Lower East Side, the Whiskey Ward will close in the middle of September — three months shy of its 24th anniversary, according to co-owner Sandee Wright.

As for a reason for the closure, Sandee said simply in an Instagram message that "it's time."

The no-frills neighborhood bar with a pool table, free peanuts, and an extensive menu of whiskeys has been a solid, low-key hangout through the years at 121 Essex between Rivington and Delancey. They will be missed.  

Pink Olive is closing its East Village outpost

After 16 years in the East Village, Pink Olive is closing its gift and stationery boutique on Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

Founder Grace Kang, who opened her first shop here in 2007, made the announcement via an email to its patrons (as well as on Instagram).

Over the years, we have weathered countless challenges together, and it is these shared experiences that make this decision even more difficult. However, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Various factors have led me to this decision, and while it fills me with sadness, I am also eager to embrace the new possibilities that lie ahead. 

Our final days of operation will be filled with mixed emotions. Thank you to the East Village community and the amazing team that started it all. I'm so grateful to you! 

The East Village shop will be open until Aug. 29, "or until we sell out." Her outposts in the West Village and up in Cold Spring will remain in business.

You can read our Q&A with Kang from 2017 right here. 

Image via Instagram 

Butter Lane leaves 7th Street for a new home in the American Dream Mall

Photos by Steven

Butter Lane has closed its East Village outpost here at 123 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

The small bakery, which offered a variety of cupcakes, baking classes and catering, winded down operations this past weekend... ahead of a move to the American Dream Mall (located across from the Angry Bird Mini Golf ticket booth) in East Rutherford, N.J.

Butter Lane debuted here in late 2008 ... with new ownership taking over in 2014.

Local 92 has closed on 2nd Avenue

Multiple readers have noted that Local 92 has gone dark here on Second Avenue between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

There aren't any messages on the restaurant's website or social media about a closure... Google lists the Local 92 address as on Mulberry between Prince and Spring. No one answered the phone listed for this Mulberry address on Sunday or last evening.

Local 92, which served a variety of Middle Eastern cuisine and was a popular brunch spot, first opened here in 2013.

In 2021, three former employees claimed that Marcello Assante, the restaurateur behind Local 92 as well as the now-closed Bella Ciao in Little Italy, "refused to pay his employees overtime; ignored coronavirus health requirements issued by city and state officials; and referred to former employees as 'princesses' after they raised concerns about the alleged incidents," Eater reported. There were also allegations levied against Local 92 chef and co-owner Shai Zvibak. They denied the accusations. 

And Local 92 is the latest closure along this corridor in the past two years... other closings on Second Avenue between Fourth Street and Sixth Street include the Mermaid Inn, Eros, Mighty Quinn's BBQ, Wild Mirrors, Sauced Up!, Calexico and Sestina.

Report: Metropolitan Playhouse is closing after 30-plus years of productions

According to published reports, the Metropolitan Playhouse is leaving its longtime home at the Cornelia Connelly Center on Fourth Street and suspending production for the foreseeable future. 

The company has staged 31 seasons and "built a reputation for recovering overlooked theatrical treasures and commissioning new works about the city's history on a small stage upstairs from the Connelly Theater in the East Village," as American Theatre first reported.

Citing changes in the theatre's economic and operational foundations, producing artistic director Alex Roe said in a statement: "Metropolitan has accomplished far more than we might have dreamed in these three decades. We have shone a light on scores of forgotten gems of American theatre to reflect on our contemporary culture and premiered hundreds of new works celebrating our neighborhood. Ultimately, we have reached the limits inherent in a company of our small size, and it is time to draw the curtain on a wonderful run."

Founded in 1993, Metropolitan Playhouse started staging production from a 51-seat theater at the Cornelia Connelly Center between Avenue A and Avenue B in 1997. Roe introduced several series reflecting the neighborhood's history and residents, including the Alphabet City monologues and the East Village Chronicles.

Huertas is closing next month on 1st Avenue

And the closing hits just keep on coming.

Huertas, the popular Basque restaurant at 107 First Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street, will shut down next month. 

And it isn't over a lack of business. Chef-co-owner Jonah Miller explained the situation — a new landlord — in an email to patrons yesterday. 

It's with a great deal of sadness that I share that Huertas will be closing on August 12th. 

Our building was purchased a couple of months ago and our 10-year lease is coming to an end soon. I've been negotiating with the new landlord, but we haven't been able to come to a number that works for both sides. 

Our last service will be Friday, August 12th. Until then we will be open 5 days-a-week, Tuesday-Saturday (closed Sunday/Monday). While it's certainly been a difficult situation to navigate and it's an upsetting outcome, I hope that the next several weeks can be celebratory. 

For nearly a decade we've been passing pintxos and pouring vermouth on 1st Avenue. We've hosted weddings, countless birthday celebrations, and made many friends along the way. 

We're not sure what’s next, but we're proud of the restaurant we’ve built. We have every intention of finishing strong and hope to see many of you in the coming weeks! 

 Thanks for the support! 

Public records show that an LLC called First Avenue Property Owner with a Great Neck, N.Y., address bought the three-building parcel — 105-109 First Ave. — in a deal worth nearly $14 million.

News of the closing circulated quickly... several EVG readers wrote in about it, lamenting the loss of this space with a friendly, professional staff ... and savory small plates to share.

Huertas opened in April 2014. 

Image via the Huertas website.

Last day for Ink

In case you missed our post from Sunday... today is the last day in business for Ink, the newsstand-convenience store at 66 Avenue A between Fourth Street and Fifth Street. 

As we first reported here and here, owner Ben "Benny" Dahud has been in a legal tussle with the private equity firm that bought the block-long building last fall for $64 million. 

So Benny has decided to step away, noting that his "kids are grown up and have completed their education, and this is the perfect time to retire."

Since Sunday, items have been going for $1-$3. Interesting items for sale include racks of rare postcards, including photos by Genevieve Hafne.

The store hours are usually 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., though we really don't know how late the doors will stay open.

The newsstand dates to 1987, Benny said, though he took it over in the early 1990s. Here's how it looked in 1997 (photo by Dave Buchwald) ...

Benny worked in the kitchen at Café Mogador on St. Mark's Place when he first got to the city from Israel. He later realized that the restaurant business wasn't for him.

Based on responses from past and present residents, Ink will be dearly missed ... as well as Benny's everyday presence on the block. 

Enjoy the retirement (and day trades!) Benny...

Above photo last month by Stacie Joy

On 5th Street, Tamam is closing

Tamam, a home accessories boutique, is closing its small retail space at 304 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Today is the last day for Taman's physical shop, which offers handmade ceramics, hand-embroidered pillows, scarves, accessories, vintage textiles, and clothing from Turkey, Central Asia, India, and beyond. 

They'll be open (July 11) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., selling stock for special prices as well as furniture and furnishings. (Tamam might be open intermittently through July, but after today, they'll be into the packing-up mode.)

The business will continue with online sales.

"Post-COVID retail has just never been the same. Regulars have left the neighborhood. We just can't support having a retail space. It's a tough business, retail shops," Clare Louise Frost, one of Tamam's three partners, told us. "It's been a great run! We couldn't thank our friends and neighbors enough."

Tamam opened here in late 2018.

Image via @shoptamam 

Tuesday is the last day for East Village mainstay Ink on Avenue A

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Tuesday will be the last day in business for Ink, the decades-old newsstand on Avenue A between Fourth Street and Fifth Street. 

Owner Ben "Benny" Dahud told us last night that everything is going on sale ahead of the closing. 

As we first reported here and here, Benny has been in a legal tussle with the private equity firm that bought the block-long building last fall for $64 million. 

Despite what has happened, Benny seems at peace with the development ... as the Marshal is expected to padlock the storefront on Wednesday. 

"There is an end to everything," he said. "I’m happy, [it's] just not easy."

Benny reiterated how grateful he is for all the support at the shop through the years.

Ink's hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Updated: The sales sign is up...

Eros is still 'temporarily closed,' and now fully empty

The curious saga of Eros continues... the Greek restaurant has been closed since early last August on the NE corner of Second Avenue and Fifth Street.

That's when a "temporarily closed" sign has been on the front door. The Greek restaurant's website still notes that this location is "closed for renovations. Reopening TBA."

The city removed the lengthy curbside dining structure from Fifth Street — after multiple warnings — in January.

Most everything from the interior has either been removed (as of last week) or shoved against the windows along the Fifth Street side of the space... 

Eros took over for the diner the Kitchen Sink in September 2021 (same owners) ... management previously changed names from Moonstruck to the Kitchen Sink in the fall of 2015. 

We've talked to several nearby residents who said they'd welcome the return of a more diner-y-type establishment like the Kitchen Sink.

Sunday is the last day for Khiladi NYC on Avenue B

After nearly four years at 175 Avenue B and 11th Street, Khiladi NYC will close after service this Sunday (July 2). 

Owner Sruthi Chowdary made the announcement on Instagram yesterday afternoon ...

July 2nd will be our last service, please come join us in bidding a farewell to this beautiful/challenging journey of ours. It hasn’t been an easy 4 years, COVID threw the world in a chaotic mode and our journey was definitely influenced by it! The most beautiful part of it all is how we were able to build a community around it and how that community came through during the thick of it! 

People, food and music will always be the core of our being, but sometimes good things have to come to an end too. Stay tuned to see what the future holds for us! 

The restaurant, which served Southern Indian fare, debuted in August 2019 to positive reviews. 

It wasn't always easy here. Someone broke into the restaurant, which had been helping feed area families as part of the Neighborhood Food Swap during the COVID-19 crisis, in late May 2020. 

This past March, a neighbor accidentally drove into Khiladi's curbside dining structure ... in the morning before the restaurant was open for the day... and destroyed the seating area...

The space is now on the rental market via KSR.

Top photo via the EVG archives

Is 334 Bowery now officially a doomed location for restaurants?

Xeo Cantina has been dark for the past month+ at 334 Bowery between Great Jones and Bond.

There's nothing about a closure on the restaurant's website or social media... they are no long on Resy. No one responded to our queries about their status.

Xeo, described as serving "Vietnamese food with Tequila," opened last June. 

 

It was the latest spot to try the space... Gia Trattoria closed after just four months in December 2021. Oddly enough, there was already a restaurant called Gia Trattoria from different operators at this address several years earlier. 

To recap: Between November 2014 and June 2015, when the storefront was divided into two spaces, we had Forcella, Espoleta, Gia Trattoria, Slice of Naples, SRO and Bowery Pizza come and go over six months. 

This space was later Gino Sorbillo, the first U.S. pizzeria from "the Neapolitan celebrity super-chef" of the same name. The "temporarily closed for renovation" sign arrived here in early January 2021 after a November 2017 opening — so not a bad run considering everyone else's tenure.

Closings: Sauced Up! on 2nd Avenue

After two-and-a-half years of serving wings, sandwiches, fries, etc., Sauced Up! has gone belly up at 77 Second Ave.

The gate has been down here between Fourth Street and Fifth Street in recent weeks. Google lists them as "permanently closed," and the phone is out of service.

Sauced Up! opened in December 2020 and was a welcome presence for some readers tired of the many empty storefronts along this corridor. 

Closings: Yifang Taiwan Fruit Tea, Wild Mirrors

After nearly four years at 33 St. Mark's Place, it appears the Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea shop here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue has closed. (Thanks to Steven for the photo.)

The shop has been dark in recent weeks, and the location is no longer on the Yi Fang website. (The site now only lists the Flushing outpost.)

The chainlet took over the space from CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice, the Taiwan-based chain that closed in late May 2019 after nearly five and a half years in business.

This space here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue was Rockit Scientist Records until the spring of 2012. There was also, for a sec, Iris Cafe.

Meanwhile, multiple readers have pointed out that the gate has been down at Wild Mirrors, 95 Second Ave., for at least six weeks...

The quick-serve restaurant, offering "healthier options of your favorite food" (burgers! wings!), opened this past November here between Fifth Street and Sixth Street. 

There's no mention of a closure on their website or Instagram account, which hasn't been updated since December. The website mentions that a liquor license is "coming soon."

The space was home for years to Thailand Cafe, which went dark in the summer of 2020.  

Tramezzini NYC has closed on Houston

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

After nearly six years in business, specialty sandwich shop Tramezzini NYC, which featured imported bread from Venice, has closed at 309 E. Houston St. 

The quick-serve establishment between Clinton and Attorney specialized in Venetian-style sandwiches — billed as the home of the softest sandwiches in the world. Owner Filippo Paccagnella, a former architect, started the company in 2016 with regular sightings at Smorgasburg.

"Running a small business is a dream come true for me, I nursed it like a plant 70 hours a week, but it was a pleasure," he told me following the closure last month. "However, the unfortunate reality is that sometimes circumstances beyond our control can force us to make difficult decisions." 

He listed several factors — an expired lease dating back to 2021, "the difficulties that the COVID-19 pandemic presented," and his father's health, which "all resulted in an unprecedented challenge for my sandwich shop." 

"Regrettably, after careful consideration, I have made the heart-wrenching decision to close our beloved establishment," he said. "Family comes first and money means nothing without it. I love you all!"

Paccagnella is returning to Italy to be with family.

Pinks moves on from 10th Street

Top photo by Lola Sáenz; 2nd pic by Steven 

After nearly 10 years at 242 E. 10th St. west of First Avenue, Pinks has shut down following service this past Saturday night. (You can read their statement via Instagram below.)

Yesterday, workers were cleaning out the space... and in a classy touch, the owners of Pinks also removed their curbside dining structure before moving on ...

Pinks made headlines in the fall of 2018 after the city started parking garbage trucks right in front of their establishment. They responded by hosting a "Trash Bash" party. (Relive the memories here.)

Meanwhile, Pinks Cantina will continue at 203 Chrystie St. ... as well as their catering business. Ownership also has plans for a new LES outpost next year...

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by PINKS CANTINA (@pinkscantinanyc)

Why 787 Coffee decided to close its 14th Street outpost

Deteriorating quality-of-life issues along 14th Street have prompted 787 Coffee to shut its doors here between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

In an Instagram message, 787 management called the move "very sad." At the same time, the shop has suffered five break-ins in the past four weeks, and they also cited an increasing number of unhoused people along the corridor, a longtime area of concern for residents (here and here).

In addition, management said some customers sitting outside were assaulted last week. 

"We make coffee as an excuse to connect, to collaborate, to create… but when we are afraid to even go to work, it defeats our values, our DNA," they said.

The shop opened at 319 E. 14th St. in late February 2021 and brought some welcome daytime activity to this north side of the block. 

The growing coffee brand has three other EV locations — 131 E. Seventh St. near Avenue A, 101 Second Ave. at Sixth Street and 159 E. 10th St. at Second Avenue.

Top photo is by Pinch, and the other two are by Joe