That new old look at 2A

EVG reader Heather shared these photos from yesterday... showing the work continuing outside 2A on Avenue A and Second Street...



We've actually heard from quite a few curious readers in recent months about the ghost signage. Per Heather: "I hope these vintage glass ads are a beautiful discovered jewel from the past and not a horrible re-branding of the bar."

These are actual signs from a long-ago business here that sold children's clothing and novelties... They were first discovered late last spring when the roll down gates needed to be replaced. (See our post here from May.) And the folks at 2A said that the ghost signage will remain part of the bar's renovated facade.

The building at 25 Avenue A was built in the late 1860s ... and was first the home of the Teutonia Savings Bank. Read more about the history at Daytonian in Manhattan.

2A opened in 1985.

This post still has nothing to do with the East Village, except for the part about 2 Boots Pizza

As I first noted back on Sept. 16, renovations for a Two Boots on Nassau Street in the Financial District turned up ghost signage for onetime tenant Loft's Candies...

It was unknown if Two Boots would keep the neon or have it removed...

Now East Village-based photographers James and Karla Murray report via Instagram that 2 Boots will be restoring the sign.

Per James and Karla: "Instead of just removing the signage, the good news is that Two Boots will be restoring the sign ... We love when we hear that a new tenant appreciates the history of a store and its signage. In this case, the Loft's sign features the candy store's mid century logotype."

The work on the sign started earlier this week...



Two Boots, which got its start on Avenue A (different location than its current home) in 1987, now has 17 locations in six states.

Previously on EV Grieve:
This post has nothing to do with the East Village, except for the part about 2 Boots Pizza

This post has nothing to do with the East Village, except for the part about 2 Boots Pizza

Workers recently removed the sign from a women's discount boutique on Nassau Street down in the Financial District ... revealing cool ghost neon signage for Loft's Candies...

Per Wikipedia, English immigrant William Loft opened a candy store on Canal Street in 1860... at one point they were the "largest maker and seller of candy in the world in the second decade of the 20th century." In 1941, Loft merged with PepsiCo. By 1990, the last Loft's retail store had closed.

I have no idea when this location ceased operations. The storefront had been home to a Lily's Boutique in recent years. According to the Commercial Observer, Two Boots Pizza will be opening its first Lower Manhattan location here ... complete with a pizzeria and bar/lounge.

Two Boots, which got its start on Avenue A (different location than its current home) in 1987, now has 17 locations in six states.

Ghost signage uncovered at the now-closed Loisaida Ave. Deli on Avenue C

[Image via]

The deli on Avenue C at East Fourth Street was open for business yesterday ... but closed today... and @artisanmatters passes along the ghost signage that workers uncovered ... a few years back when it was the Los Muchachos Supermarket ...



Not sure the status at the moment of the Loisaida Ave. Deli ... perhaps a renovation?

Revisiting Luigi's 3rd Ave. Pizza

[Last Saturday]

Ghost signage for Luigi's 3rd Ave. Pizza recently appeared on the northwest corner of Third Avenue and East 12th Street. Via the magic of Facebook, we found two photos of Luigi's when it was open in the early to mid 1980s…





The photos are by John Fensten, whose daughter Susan Fensten shared them with us.

The corner space is now being fitted for a Funkiberry Premium Frozen Yogurt shop.

Previously on EV Grieve:
DOUBLE ghost signage discovered at 88 3rd Ave.

Today in ghost signage

[April 1]

Jeez, how did we miss this? (Please don't answer the question. We're very sensitive.) Two weeks back Molly at the International told us about the ghost signage that workers found (and subsequently dropped) at the Golden Food Market on First Avenue and East Seventh Street.

Apparently, workers found another old sign … this was preserved … and is now hanging up on the market's south-facing wall…



So the East 7th Deli came after the Warsaw Bakery… anyone remember the place?



Thanks to newly deputized EVG Ghost Signage Correspondent ~evilsugar for this tip.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Warsaw Bakery sign makes a brief reappearance on First Avenue

DOUBLE ghost signage discovered at 88 3rd Ave.

Earlier last month, EVG reader Dave from 14th Street noted the above ghost signage that workers uncovered while converting the former Amici Pizza into (heh) a Funkiberry Premium Frozen Yogurt shop.

NOW!

EVG regular ~evilsugar notes that there was ghost signage under the Lawrence & Paul's Pizza & Restaurant ghost signage…



Here's a better shot via Scoboco … showing Luigi's 3rd Ave. Pizza…



Meanwhile, the remains of the the Lawrence & Paul's sign are now in the dumpster on Third Avenue…



Previously on EV Grieve:
Stuff that you can't make up: More FroYo for the East Village

Ghost signage uncovered on Third Avenue and East 12th Street

Warsaw Bakery sign makes a brief reappearance on First Avenue

Workers put in a new awning yesterday at the Golden Food Market on First Avenue at East Seventh Street.

That's when they discovered the great old sign of a previous tenant — Warsaw Bakery...


[Photo by Molly Fitch]

Ali at the market said that Molly Fitch, who owns the International two doors up as well as the Coal Yard one block to the south, could have the sign for one of the bars.

Unfortunately, some carelessness took care of that.

"The workers basically dropped it onto the sidewalk smashing it all to bits," Molly said. "Oh well, another piece of 1st Avenue history lost again. It would have looked so cool in the backyard of the Coal Yard."

As for the bakery ... anyone recall when it closed? We heard it was in the early 1970s… And Molly heard that the storefront was a radio shop in the 1930s...

Ghost signage uncovered on Third Avenue and East 12th Street

AAA (New) Amici Pizza was rent hiked out of business here last July. Workers have been renovating the space for the new tenant… uncovering some ghost signage in the process… per these photos courtesy of EVG reader Dave from 14th Street…



Trying to remember this place… Lawrence & Paul's Pizza & Restaurant. The space was Due Amici before New Amici in the early 1990s … Anyone recall Lawrence & Paul's?

As for the new tenant [sadly chuckling] … soon to be home to Funkiberry Premium Frozen Yogurt. Yes, it's true.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Stuff that you can't make up: More FroYo for the East Village

Memories of Di Bella Bros. on First Avenue

Back in April, we posted the ghost signage that EVG regular evilnyc spotted over at the Hamptons Market on First Avenue and East 13th Street ... it was the name of the former longtime tenant — Di Bella Bros., the beloved specialty foods market that opened here in 1925... A New York magazine article from August 1984 noted that Carmine and John Di Bella retired in the early 1980s ... and that they sold the business to Sue and Jason Shim, "who have mastered most of their recipes."

This past weekend, we heard from John C. Di Bella Jr., who had just come across the post. He said he was happy to see the positive comments about his family's market... he also shared some memories and history...

I worked for my dad and uncle Carmine during my teen years. I, too, have so many great memories. I learned how to speak Sicilian. I learned how to bone a prosciutto, make the famous stuffed peppers, stuffed artichokes, stuffed mushrooms and all the other recipes that I still know to this day.

I remember the room in the back of the store, which was filled with shelves with cheeses. We also had our own Olive Oil DiBella Bros brand, which was packed in the basement. I vividly recall the way they dressed with a tie and deli jacket. There was a warm and family feeling especially around the holidays.

The original Di Bella Food store was located at 273 Bleeker St. and was run and operated by the eldest brother Ben and youngest brother Mike while John and Carmine served in the U.S. Military. When they returned, John and Benny and Mike moved to 215 First Avenue and 13th Street. Carmine purchased his own deli in Corona, Queens, which was owned and operated by the former Gov. Mario Cuomo's parents. He later joined John on 13th Street.

The most important thing I learned from my dad and uncles were the strong work ethic which enabled me to go forward and become a successful businessman myself.

I am attaching a picture that I have of the store, which was taken sometime in the 1940s. You can see the old Di Bella sign and the Palermo Bakery, which made the best Italian bread in the world.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Di Bella Bros. ghost signage uncovered on East 13th Street

When you received 'no finer service anywhere' at this cleaners

Yesterday, EVG reader Patrick noticed that Aura Cleaners on East 14th Street just east of Avenue B was getting a new sign... not really newsworthy (except for on this site — woot) ... However! In pulling down the old awning... the workers exposed a little ghost signage... "No finer service anywhere" in a fine font...



Curious about the date of the original... Patrick found a tax photo dating to 1983 showing the sign in place...



The two-level building was erected here in 1949... and the first commercial tenant was a restaurant, according to the Certificate of Occupancy.

And the Di Bella Bros. sign is hidden once more on East 13th Street

On Monday, EVG regular evilnyc noted that there was some sign work going on at the Hamptons Market on First Avenue ... workers removed the sign on the north side of the building, which revealed ... the beloved previous tenant ...



...Di Bella Bros., the Italian deli that dated to 1925.

Obviously this was going to be a short-term reveal... sure enough, a reader noted that the Hamptons Market sign returned yesterday...



...looking as if it belongs more in a food court than on a city street...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Di Bella Bros. ghost signage uncovered on East 13th Street

Di Bella Bros. ghost signage uncovered on East 13th Street

EVG regular evilnyc notes sign work over at the Hamptons Market on First Avenue and East 13th Street, which has revealed...



... the name of the former longtime tenant — Di Bella Bros., which opened here in 1925... A New York magazine article from August 1984 noted that Carmine and John Di Bella retired in the early 1980s ... and that they sold the business to Sue and Jason Shim, "who have mastered most of their recipes."

In previous posts about Hamptons, several readers noted Di Bella's delicious stuffed artichokes and bell peppers...

Will we be talking about Hamptons Market in such loving ways years from now?

A sidewalk shed exits outside Vazac's

[Sunday]

A few readers have pointed out that workers removed the sidewalk shed outside the Horseshoe Bar/Vazac's/7B on the corner of Seventh Street and Avenue B on Saturday ... workers erected it in late March, fueling speculation that, perhaps, the four-story Peter Jarema Funeral Home ad ... ("air conditioned chapels") with its old exchange "OR4-2568" might get painted over (for whatever reason).

Several residents noted that the sidewalk shed looked rather wobbly, and the DOB quickly slapped a Stop Work Order on the address in early April for lack of proper permits.

Not sure if any work was ever done on the building. The city eventually issued permits, which pointed to "remedial repairs."

A sidewalk shed arrives outside Vazac's

On Friday evening, workers arrived to start putting up a sidewalk shed around the perimeter of the Horseshoe Bar/Vazac's/7B here on the corner of Seventh Street and Avenue B...

There aren't any permits on file via the DOB website just yet... so we don't know what type of work will be done here...

[Matt LES_Miserable from yesterday]

Dave on 7th, who took the photo below, thought that the Seventh Street side of the shed might be a little crooked...

And the main topic of conversation... Depending on what's happening here ... perhaps this is the end of what's left of the four-story Peter Jarema Funeral Home ad ... ("air conditioned chapels") with its old exchange "OR4-2568."

[EVG]

As Ephemeral New York points out, Peter Jarema opened in 1906, and the copy on the wall says that they've been in business for more than 60 years, which dates the ad to the 1960s... in any event, we always hate to see little pieces of history like this wiped away...