St. Marks Veterinary Hospital is closing this month

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

After nearly 40 years in practice, St. Marks Veterinary Hospital is closing its doors this month at 348 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

The last day for the business, founded in 1986, is Dec. 20. The hospital team will continue to take appointments until then.

Here's part of their closing via social media: 

With heavy hearts, we want to let you know that our hospital will be closing its doors on Friday, Dec. 20, at 2 p.m. This wasn't an easy decision. Reduced consumer demand in the area for primary veterinary care services has hindered our ability to meet our operational goals. 

We deeply value the trust you've placed in us to care for your pets and sincerely apologize for any challenges this change may present to you and your family. 

While this chapter is closing, we’re still here for you and your furry family members! We encourage you to visit our partner hospital:  

Reade Street Animal Hospital (2 miles away) 

Address: 146 Reade St.

Phone: (212) 519-0245 

This location is part of our Thrive community and accepts Thrive Plus members. You will continue to receive the high-quality care you expect at St. Marks Veterinary Hospital, and your pet’s records will transfer seamlessly. If you want a copy of your pet's records sent directly to you, please email us at stmarks.info@thrivepet.com. 

We're so grateful to have been a part of your pet's journey and your family's life. Thank you for the love and support you’ve shown us — we'll miss you all dearly and hope to see you at Reade Street Animal Hospital.

Comings and goings on 9th Street: Love Only and Salvage Cloth

Photos by Steven 

After nearly 10 years on Ninth Street, Love Only recently closed up on the block between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

Founder Carmen Ruiz-Davila, who also had an outpost in Williamsburg, moved to Spain several years ago before relocating to Amsterdam. 

As Ruiz-Davila, a Barcelona native, wrote in an Instagram post: "We have met so many wonderful people along the way, and we just want to say thank you for all of your support. I moved to Spain two years ago and now Amsterdam, which has made it really tough to manage the stores. I'm looking forward to the next chapter of my life and hoping to see most of you in the future." 

The shop first debuted as Love Gang. (Read more about that here.) 

The space wasn't vacant long. Designer Carie Evans, who has done pop-ups from a storefront right next door, is now operating Salvage Cloth here...

Per the Salvage Cloth website: "We work with recovered fabrics along with 'up-cycled' vintage cloth to create a unique brand of ethics and style. Our passion is the appreciation of design with a mission of low-waste."

That's a wrap for now at Boris & Horton

Photos by Steven 

ICYMI... Boris & Horton has wrapped up its nearly seven-year-run on the NW corner of Avenue A and 12th Street, shutting down as expected this past weekend. 

For now, paper covers the double storefront here, which was the city's first dog cafe.

Earlier last month, ownership (daughter-father Logan Mikhly and Coppy Holzman) posted notices that they would close at the end of November. This development happened even after a successful crowdfunding campaign and a newly enacted subscription plan earlier this year. 

From an Instagram post on Nov. 11: 

Despite these efforts, we've experienced a significant drop in our monthly subscriptions, with almost 90% churn, and our sales are slightly down compared to last year when we initially made the difficult decision to close. 

Mikhly and Holzman said they've previously met with potential suitors but have yet to close a deal. Last week, they wrote: "we're hopeful that one of our customers will be taking over and reopening in 2025." 

However, the retail space remains on the rental market.

Closings: Crepe City on Avenue A

After a July debut, Crepe City has closed at 199 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street. (H/T Lola Sáenz.) 

We're told that they're just wasn't enough business, and the two partners sold the shop and moved on to other projects. (One of the partners, Alex, is now at Choco Dream down on Gouverneur Street.) 

No word yet on what will be taking over the space. 

Before a brief smoke-shop stint, this storefront was home to the first outpost of Mikey Likes It Ice Cream from 2013 to 2022.

The Avenue A 7-Eleven is now closed. The reason why may not surprise you.

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Yesterday, workers began dismantling the 7-Eleven on the SE corner of Avenue A and 11th Street, including painting over the wraparound sign. 

As expected, the store officially closed after 11 years in business.

I spoke with Mr. Singh, who bought the business from the previous owner seven years ago. He was emotional but optimistic about the store's closure. He declined to have photos taken but spoke a bit about his life, his philosophy and faith, and the now-shuttered franchise he licensed on Avenue A. 

Singh, 50, and his wife and kids live in Queens after immigrating from India in the early 2000s. He credits his strong Sikh faith with keeping him optimistic about the future. 

He used to work the overnight shift at Punjabi Deli on Houston Street to save money to buy the franchise. He spoke movingly about his history working his father's land in India by hand, taking care of his family as a breadwinner from his teenage years until now. 

When I asked him why the store was closing, he reiterated what I'd heard on my last visit: rampant theft.

He explained that he is responsible for paying for everything that happens in the store. For example, when two armed robbers stole most of his cigarette packs, he was responsible for the $17 or $18 per pack. He still had to pay the distributor when people shoplifted six-packs of beer. 

While the 7-Eleven parent company covers the store's rent, he pays 51% of every dollar he makes to the parent company. He also rents 7-Eleven machines from them. The Slurpee machine, he said, costs $700 per month to rent, and he has three of them. And when they broke, he had to pay for repairs. He also had to pay payroll, which he said was a high cost for two employees per shift.

He mentions daily shoplifting by kids from a nearby school, plus people who just saunter in, take what they please, and walk out. He said he is not allowed to stop them, and even if his cashier were to run after them and take the purloined items back, they'd be leaving the register unattended to do so. 

They called the police occasionally, though the thieves were always long gone when the officers arrived. 

I asked him what he plans to do next. Singh said he might look at another space in Queens near where he lives. He says he doesn't have ill will or bad feelings toward people and credits his faith in God and the holy book to the fact that things will be alright.

He thanked all the customers who visited the shop over the past seven years and wished everyone well in the future. 

As I was leaving, the third-party contractors were putting paper up on the windows, and we watched them for a minute.

Singh looked at me and said, "I am not afraid of hard work. I have been a hard worker my whole life. God will protect me, and I am not sad."

This is the third 7-Eleven to close in the East Village since 2013. The last one, on the Bowery, will be shutting down next. Look for that post tomorrow.

Lower East Side indie mainstay Rockwood Music Hall abruptly closes, musicians say

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Last night, word spread that Rockwood Music Hall had abruptly closed on Allen Street, just south of Houston. 

Yesterday, musicians scheduled to play at the 19-year-old venue beyond Nov. 9 received emails from the venue stating that they had closed effectively immediately. 

Last night, when several musicians were on the bill to perform, the space was dark. Concertgoers were not notified of the closure on-site, online or via Rockwood's social media.

While there was no official notice from the club, there were several social media posts from musicians and journalists about the abrupt shutter.

 

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Another heartbreaking loss for the city's indie music scene. 😢

I can't even begin to tell you how many great artists I discovered at @RockwoodNYC.

This is an absolute bummer. pic.twitter.com/ZQMMJK2BTj

— Adam Bernard (@AdamsWorldBlog) November 10, 2024

Rockwood Music Hall, facing financial challenges, announced last November that the venue was "getting back to basics" and closing its Stage 2 space, which debuted in 2010 with a 175-person capacity. Nick Boder of Baker Falls is opening at the old Stage 2 address, as we first reported.

Updated 11 a.m.: Bodor told us he has NOT had any conversations with anyone at Rockwood or the landlord about Stage 1. Stage 2 is in a separate space on the same block. While he hasn’t ruled out interest in the former Stage 1, he would consider it if he had investors, though nothing is in place for now.

In June 2023, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles launched a #PreserveRockwood benefit concert series to help keep the indie venue open after the pandemic. Unfortunately, this effort doesn't appear to have been enough in the long term. 

As the June 2023 GoFundMe noted, the closure of Rockwood would end "a vital place for independent and up-and-coming musicians to develop their artistry and give fans the opportunity to discover new music in a live setting."

The former Houston Village Farm is for rent

Officially closing the book on Houston Village Farm. 

For rent signs arrived on the storefront on Thursday here on the SW corner of First Avenue and Fourth Street. This was after the business didn't open for several weeks, and there was no notice to patrons. 

This was Houston Village Farm's second iteration ... the previous one closed in the spring of 2022 due to little business and high rent. New owners took over the space in 2022, but the store name remained the same. 

No sign of the listing just yet at the Gavious Realty site.

Stuffed closes, and the owners promise 'a brand new, never seen before' ice cream concept

Photos by Steven

Stuffed Ice Cream closed on Oct. 27 at 139 First Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street.

The shop arrived in 2017 and spawned a second location in Bensonhurst. 

However, ownership has plans for the space...

In a closure notice for patrons, there's news of a new concept called Surprise Scoop opening next month. It will be "a brand new, never seen before FUN & EXCITING ice cream concept."

The former Sushi Dojo space is for lease on 1st Avenue

The former Sushi Dojo space is now for lease at 110 First Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

We don't know the exact timing of the recent closure. The Sushi Dojo website simply says, "We're Closed. Thank you for your support since 2013." Its Instagram account doesn't mention a closing.

The restaurant, from chef David Bouhadana, received acclaim during its early days here. However, in the fall of 2015, ownership let go of its chef for his reportedly "unprofessional" handling of DOH codes and conduct.

The fine-dining allure of Sushi Dojo changed over time, and recent Instagram posts show deals for "anti inflation omasake" — 10 pieces for $45.

According to the listing for the fully vented space, the rent is $15,000 monthly.  

Closings: A-Roll Bar and Grill on St. Mark's Place

After less than a year in business, A-Roll Bar and Grill has closed at 5 St. Mark's Place just east of Third Avenue. (H/T Jacob Ford for the tip!)

A for-rent sign is now in the front window.

The sit-down skewer shop, operated by Nobu vet Kacey Yeh and part of a Chinese chain, seemed to have a lot of potential. (Eater gave it high marks.)

Unfortunately, until very recently, the storefront was mostly obscured by the sidewalk bridge and scaffolding of the neighboring 9-story office building, which has seen a long slog toward completion. Plus, there are many casual food options on this block of St. Mark's Place. 

Houston Village Farm hasn't been open lately

Houston Village Farm has been closed for the past week-plus on the SW corner of First Avenue and Fourth Street, prompting speculation that the corner market has permanently closed. 

There isn't any signage up about a closure, temporary or otherwise. (The Sunday papers were attached to the entrance.) 

Items for sale inside the shop had dwindled this past month (another development that sparked speculation). 

Houston Village Farm closed in the spring of 2022 due to slow business and high rent. New owners took over the space in 2022, but the store name remained unchanged. 

H/T Stacie J., Steven and Tia for photos this past week.

Closings: Dora on Avenue B

Photo by Stacie Joy 

After 15 months in business, Dora's Restaurant has closed at 40 Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street. 

The restaurant serving Peruvian cuisine (operated by siblings Dora and Oskar Morales) was recently denied a full liquor license by Community Board 3. 

According to the minutes of last month's CB3 meeting, there were 24 commercial 311 complaints for the restaurant, with seven requiring NYPD action. In addition, CB3 noted that they broke their signed stipulations and kept their windows open past 10 p.m. with DJs as entertainment. The minutes also show that there were allegations that they were serving liquor without a permit.

Residents also said that the previous tenant at the address, El Carnaval, was a problem neighbor. El Carnaval was accused of serving liquor without a license in the summer of 2021. There's a video from the meeting here. (El Carnaval was first up.) 

We heard from multiple neighbors who complained about blaring music via DJs outside the quick-serve spot in the summer of 2020 — when restaurants expanded to sidewalk and curbside spaces. 

Dora continued the tradition after taking over from El Carnaval, which shuttered in the summer of 2022. 

Fonda, the previous tenant at 40 Avenue B, closed during the pandemic. For eight years, Fonda stopped the revolving door of restaurants to come and go here. (Octavia's Porch, anyone?)

Signage alert: L&L Hawaiian Barbeque and Tōka Chef Kitchen on Allen Street

Photos: top by EVG, 2nd by Stacie Joy 

Signage went up last week for two new dining options on Allen Street just south of Houston. 

Tōka Chef Kitchen is coming soon to 205 Allen St., a long-vacant space whose last full-time tenant was Domino's. We don't know anything about Tōka Chef Kitchen at the moment. 

Meanwhile, Meat + Bread closed next door on Sept. 24 ... after a January 2021 debut. 

L&L Hawaiian Barbeque, specializing in plate lunches, is the new tenant...

The business started 50-plus years ago in Hawaii. It expanded stateside in 1999 and continues to franchise.

 

This is the first latest Manhattan outpost (see the comments about a previous Fulton Street location), and one is coming to Bushwick, too.

Monsieur Vo has closed on 2nd Avenue

Monsieur Vo has closed its doors at 104 Second Ave. on the NE corner of Sixth Street. 

Google and Yelp list the well-regarded Vietnamese restaurant as permanently closed. A since-deleted Instagram post noted the following: 

We're bittersweetly announcing that Monsieur Vo Restaurant will be closing its doors after September 21st. If you've been wanting to try our unique menu or if you've been longing for one last visit, now's your chance! 

Come celebrate with us and savor your favorite dishes one last time. Your support has meant the world to us, and we'd love to see you before we say goodbye.

We were tipped off to the closure by an EVG reader who pointed out the Marshal's notice on the front gate dated Tuesday, noting that the landlord is now in possession of the storefront...

The husband-wife duo Chef Jimmy Ly and Yen Vo opened Monsieur Vo here in September 2022. A restaurant rep told us at the time that "Monsieur Vo is the team's love letter to the Vietnamese men in their lives — including fathers, uncles, brothers — and the dishes they love to eat." 

Last fall, Monsieur Vo was one of 11 new establishments added to New York's Michelin Guide. 

The Second Avenue address was previously their spinoff Madame Vo BBQ, which debuted in 2018 ... though it didn't reopen after the PAUSE of March 2020. Pandemic aside, they couldn't reopen while that block was closed following the devastating fire that destroyed Middle Collegiate Church in December 2020. 

The couple still operates Madame Vo at 212 E. 10th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (It's excellent if you haven't tried it yet.)

San Loco is closing its Lower East Side location

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

After 22 years at 111 Stanton St., San Loco is closing its location here between Ludlow and Essex. 

The lease is up, and according to owners Jill and Kimo Hing, they are at an impasse with the landlord.

"It's time to move on," says Jill. 

Kimo adds, "The pandemic changed the business, the neighborhood has changed, and our customers have changed. The cost of business has increased, with inflation and product costs rising." 

Monday is the last day for business on Stanton Street. 

San Loco's outpost on Avenue C will remain in service. 

"We're trying to look at the positive; we'll be here at Avenue C, and we're now able to expand our menu," Jill says. "Kimo and I will be back in the kitchen." 

The family-run business will keep the same delivery range, down to Grand Street (FDR to Third Avenue and up to Stuy Town). They hope their customers will show up to support the business before it closes and to say goodbye. They mention having final bills to pay and wanting to see their longtime customers. And for those who want to help: "If you know of a place in the neighborhood with affordable and reasonable rent, let us know!"

San Loco has a longtime presence in the East Village, starting in 1986 on Second Avenue before later moving across the street to 124 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. That outpost closed in June 2017 due to a rent increase that was unsustainable. The Avenue A San Loco closed in 2014 after 15 years in business.

Dimmed lights on 1st Avenue: Only 1 Indian restaurant remains at Instagram-friendly address

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

And then there was one. 

After decades of aggressive hosts trying to entice diners into their establishments with twinkling Christmas and chili pepper lights and promises of superior food, the upstairs-downstairs block of Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants at 93 First Ave. is down to one.

While Milon closed in December 2020 after nearly 40 years in business, next-door neighbor Panna II Garden took over the space in early 2021 (see below) without switching the previous tenant's sign.

It was business as usual, with groups coming in for various celebrations amid the lights and over-the-top decor (this with some pretty mediocre-to-average food and spotty service).

The Panna II maître d' on duty Friday evening told us they stopped using the adjacent dining room last month.

"No business," he said.

The Milon space has been gutted (thanks to Blake Farber for the following two pics) ...

... and workers bagged up the lights that had lit up thousands of Instagram posts to throw away...

Royal Bangladesh, which opened on the lower level in 1978, closed in the late spring of 2022. An unlicensed smoke shop briefly occupied one of the storefronts on the lower level. 

While Milon and Panna II had been catering to the Instagram crowd in recent years, some locals still found the BYOB restaurants a familiar comfort on evenings away from the weekends. 

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This article at 6sqft has a nice recap of the restaurants here; Eater, too. (A photo of the glory days is below via 6sqft.)

The number of Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants along the so-called Curry Row or Little India here and around the corner on Sixth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue has been dwindling in recent years. As many as 27 establishments were clustered on the block in the 1990s; today, there are two on Sixth Street.

Economics and competition certainly played a part ... and, in recent years, we've seen new buzzy options, such as from the Unapologetic Foods team (Rowdy Rooster and Dhamaka, with two more concepts on the way)... and higher-end experiences like Bungalow at 24 First Ave., which opened in March and recently received three stars from the Times, and Jazba on Second Avenue and 13th Street.

On Friday night at Panna II, the lone maître d' said business has been slow.

The storefront at 60 2nd Ave. (the former Black Ant) is for rent

Photo by Steven

A for-lease sign has arrived outside 60 Second Ave. between Third Street and Fourth Street. 

The listing isn't online at Meridian Capital Group just yet.

This marks the official end of Black Ant. During the summer, a sign was up stating, "We are temporary [sic] closed." (This despite an Instagram post stating their last day was June 2.)

The closure coincides with the recent sale of the two buildings at 58 and 60-62 Second Ave., which sold for nearly $14 million.

The Black Ant opened in May 2014. The place drew generally solid reviews and attention for its ingredients, including "tribal delicacies like grasshoppers, worms and, yes, the namesake ant." 

Closings: Kuppi Coffee Company on St. Mark's Place

After nearly a year at 131 First Ave. (aka 82 St. Mark's Place), Kuppi Coffee Company has closed its doors. 

A small note on the door stated that Aug. 31 was their last day in service, and it thanked patrons. 

This was the second outpost for the Edgewater, N.J.-based Kuppi Coffee Company. (In 2018, Architectural Digest named Kuppi the "Most Beautiful Coffee Shop" in New Jersey, noting: "White-washed exposed-brick walls and hung flower boxes — brimming with greenery — bring the outdoors in at Kuppi Coffee Company ...") 

People seemed to like Kuppi here, though there are many nearby well-established coffee choices... including (but not limited to!) Porto Rico Importing Co., Abraço and Mud... plus 787 Coffee, Poetica Coffee, et al.

The previous tenant at the address, AO Bowl, closed in August 2022 after an off-and-on 18 months in business ... and blaming Sen. Schumer.

In 2019, workers gutted this single-level structure on this corner ... and divided the storefront into several retail spaces. The other tenant here is the Brooklyn Dumpling Shop. 

The former occupant, Foot Gear Plus, closed in July 2018 after nearly 40 years in business.

Sidewalk bridge removal reveals a business closure on 1st Avenue

Photos by Steven 

Late last week, workers removed the sidewalk bridge from outside 165-167 First Ave. between 10th Street and 11th Street, where we learned that the obscured business here, Hay Hay Roasted, had closed. (The other storefront, the former Commodities at No. 165, has been vacant for 20 months.)

The restaurant, which served Cantonese roast meats and noodle soups, opened this past Dec. 16. They announced their closure on May 28 via Instagram. 

The notice left for patrons on the gate didn't go into too much detail: "We regret to announce the closure of our East Village location. Despite our best efforts, this decision, though difficult, reflects our commitment to adapt and thrive."

Being under a sidewalk bridge during the business's entire existence could not have helped. In fact, we didn't even realize that the place had shut down.

Hay Hay Roasted's Mott Street outpost remains in service.

The signage at No. 167 remains from Tatsu Ramen, which closed in the fall of 2021.

Oh no! O'Flaherty's has departed its gallery-performance space on Avenue A

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

After a rollicking 18 months at 44 Avenue A, O'Flaherty's is out of the gallery-performance space on the NE corner of Third Street. 

We spotted a for-lease sign on the gallery's awning early yesterday morning. Artist, curator and owner Jamian Juliano-Villani confirmed the closure. 

When asked if she'd reopen in the neighborhood, she offered: "We're looking for a space where the sun sets at the entrance, not rises." When we asked her if there was anything else, she said, "Yes, Billy's pregnant," referencing O'Flaherty's gallerist Billy Grant.

O'Flaherty's debuted in February 2023 with "O'Flaherty's gelitin O'Flattering," featuring the Vienna-based performance group gelitin. The shows attracted big crowds.

And Juliano-Villani often seemed to be having the most fun of anyone...

Other memorable events included the debut of a Café (with art!) last August, which showed the work of seven artists and offered mac and cheese and chicken fingers, which may or may not have been part of the show. 

Less kitschy offerings included solo work by longtime East Village resident Donna Dennis, part of the architectural sculpture movement of the early 1970s.

Broker Chandler Slate said the O'Flaherty's space is available immediately with an asking price of $29,000 monthly.

Upright Citizens Brigade Theater closed UCBeast in February 2019 in this space. The comedy venue opened in September 2011, and UCB took over part of the expanded Two Boots empire — the video store on Avenue A and the Pioneer Theater around the corner on Third Street.

O'Flaherty's previously had a year-long run at 55 Avenue C at Fourth Street, culminating with a mobbed show in July 2022.

At 44 Avenue A, the shows were few and far between but never dull.