Rent hike forcing Sunrise Cleaners to close on East 3rd Street

Sunrise Cleaners at 60 E. Third St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue will be closing soon.

An EVG reader and Sunrise customer reports that the landlord (Tomar Equities) offered Susan the owner a 5-year-lease renewal with a 66-percent rent increase. Which is insane and the reality around here.

A listing shows an asking rent of $4,500 for 525 square feet.

Former Avenue A laundromat 'is perfect for anyone with an exciting hip concept for a bar or restaurant'

[EVG file photo]

Kim's Laundromat & Cleaners on the southeast corner of Avenue A and East 13th Street got rent hiked out of business at the end of July.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, brokers are peddling the space for a bar/restaurant.

Here's the pitch via Loop Net:

Former laundromat in the east village. Great corner space on 13th and Avenue A with 50 feet of frontage. Easily vented for a restaurant or bar. total build-out needed. Rent concession will be given for build-out, and will vary on a tenant to tenant basis. 1300 sf

Great corner in the East Village. Surrounded by college students, young professionals, and bar-hoppers, this space is perfect for anyone with an exciting hip concept for a bar or restaurant.

The space is going for $135 per square foot.

Good luck to the potential tenant securing a liquor license in a saturated zone with a business that has never previously had a liquor license…

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Rent hike washes away longtime Avenue A laundromat

New laundromat now open at site of former laundromat

Capital Laundry & Dry Cleaners opened this week at 44 Avenue B between East Third Street and East Fourth Street. (Thirty percent off on drop-off and pick-up service!)

Back in January, the previous laundromat here relocated to Clinton Street.

As we've noted, this is the third time in recent memory where a laundromat closed … only to be replaced by another laundromat. (Here and here.)

Laundromat replaces laundromat on Avenue B

Back in January, the laundromat at 44 Avenue B between East Third Street and East Fourth Street relocated to Clinton Street.

The familiar "call Harvey" sign of the Croman Empire went up …

And now EVG reader John shares these photos of the new tenant: A new laundromat/dry cleaners. (No word if they will serve grilled cheese sandwiches.)



This is the third time in recent memory where a laundromat closed … only to be replaced by another laundromat. (Here and here.)

Reader report: Rent hike washes away longtime Avenue A laundromat

Kim's Laundromat & Cleaners on the southeast corner of Avenue A and East 13th Street closed yesterday, a victim of a rent hike, according to EVG reader dwg.

Workers were inside cleaning out the space, which has been here a good 30 years.





No word just yet on a new tenant. (Maybe it will stay a laundromat?)

In November 2009, Chico created this tribute to Eric "Taz" Pagan outside the laundromat.



Pagan, a bouncer at the former Forbidden City lounge on Avenue A, was shot and killed trying to break up a fight on Aug. 23, 2009. Pagan was not on duty at the time of the shooting. He was 42.

Deconstructing Launderette

Workers are gutting Launderette at 97 Second Ave. this morning ... one day after the longtime laundromat near East Sixth Street closed for good.



As we previously reported, the operators of Launderette also owned the building ... and they decided to sell "for a host of personal and business reasons," according to a detailed letter to customers.

Stuart Zamsky, who took these photos, calls this a "huge loss" for those residents who have depended on Launderette through the years.

The new landlords are hoping to attract a restaurant, the last thing this part of Second Avenue needs, into the space.

Previously on EV Grieve:
It will be 'easy to convert' Launderette into a restaurant on 2nd Avenue

Longtime Second Avenue Launderette will close this summer

Last call for Launderette today on 2nd Avenue

[Photo yesterday via EVG reader EJ]

In late April, the owners of the longtime laundromat at 97 Second Ave. near East Sixth Street posted a detailed letter about why they are closing their business later in the summer.

Unfortunately, "later in the summer" became today. The last self-serve wash is at 1:30 today, and any dropoffs have to be picked up by 3 p.m.

The operators of Launderette also owned the building, so it was the family's decision to leave "for a host of personal and business reasons," according to a detailed letter to customers.

The building's new owners are pitching the space for a restaurant. The asking rent per the listing: $25,500 a month.

We've also heard several horror stories about the new ownership (read about the legal battle over the building at The Real Deal) from residents who live upstairs. We'll save those for another post.

Previously on EV Grieve:
It will be 'easy to convert' Launderette into a restaurant on 2nd Avenue

Longtime Second Avenue Launderette will close this summer

It will be 'easy to convert' Launderette into a restaurant on 2nd Avenue

Late last month, the owners of the longtime laundromat at 97 Second Ave. near East Sixth Street posted a detailed letter about why they are closing their business later in the summer. (You can revisit that post here.)

Now the brokers put up a "for lease" sign in the front window … showing a "rendering of possible new storefront" and offering other details about the space…



… such as it will be "easy to convert to restaurant" and something about hot air.

Oh, and the asking rent per the listing: $25,500 a month.

Longtime Second Avenue Launderette will close this summer

The longtime laundromat here on Second Avenue between East Sixth Street and East Fifth Street is closing... some time in August, most likely.

EVG regular peter radley shares these photos... and the sign on the front window goes into great detail about the situation here...


[Click on image to enlarge]

Douglas Pratt, president of the Launderette, discusses how his family operated this laundromat since the early 1970s ... that they were "forced" into buying the building a short time later or face losing the lease. However, more recently, the family had to sell the building here at 97 Second Ave. "for a host of personal and business reasons."

According to the letter, the new owners are courting a variety of tenants — restaurants, convenience stores and laundromats. As of now, Pratt doesn't believe a new tenant has signed a lease.

Aug. 15 is the tentative closing date.

Call Harvey — and tell him someone broke the window

At the former laundromat at 44 Avenue B…

Avenue B laundromat headed south to Clinton Street

When we saw the familiar "for rent" sign of Steve Croman recently arrive above the laundromat at 44 Avenue B… well, we knew the place was a goner…

Sure enough!



At least they are just moving … down to 47 Clinton St. between Stanton and Rivington… not exactly as convenient for residents along here...

This is what a play in an East Village laundromat looks like

[Anton van Dalen]

Last night, Dirty Laundry: Loads of Prose took place at the Gentle Wash Laundromat at 97 Avenue A… just sharing a few photos from the evening… Longtime East Village resident Emily Rubin, who serves as the producer, said that she was quite pleased with the turnout…

Rubin, who moved here in 1980, said that the "reason for starting the events in the laundromats was partly because I missed those days of guerilla- style art and performances."


[Anton van Dalen]



Above, from left to right: Lizzie Olesker, director, Pinky Weitzman, composer/musician, Connie Winston, performer and Rosemary Fine, performer.



Rubin plans on more laundromat performances in the future… Look for more info here.

Go see a play tonight in a laundromat on Avenue A

Longtime East Village resident Emily Rubin shared details about her latest laundromat production… her Dirty Laundry: Loads of Prose show tonight features playwright/director Lizzie Olesker at the Gentle Wash Laundromat at 97 Avenue A…

Read more about tonight's performance here. Read an interview with Rubin in Time Out here.

Happy news for Lucky's Dry Cleaners and Laundry on East 11th Street

At the end of November, we reported that Lucky's Dry Cleaner and Laundrys would have to close… in part because the landlord apparently wanted to break proprietor Linda's lease while she took an indefinite leave of absence to care for a family member in China.

However, EVG reader Brian Katz happily passes along an update on the situation here. Linda's landlord is allowing her to leave to attend to her family while also allowing her to transfer her store (for the duration?) to her good friend who has more than a decade of experience running a laundry and dry cleaners.

Today in news about East Village laundromats and dry cleaners

As EV Grieve reader Brian Katz told us Saturday, Lucky's Dry Cleaner and Laundry on East 11th Street is closing today. (Read the post here.)

As for other laundromat/dry cleaner news... the laundromat that Mimi ran at 204 E. 10th Street closed earlier this year due to a rent hike... and, at the time, we made the obligatory comment that we really need more dessert places around here, which we figured would come next to the space. Ha. Well! Check out the new dry cleaner/laundromat in the space — Le Pressing! (Thanks to Blue Glass for the tip.)



And over on East Third Street near Avenue A... several readers recently pointed out that the East Village Launderette has closed... we don't know too much else about what happened... or what might be next. (Likely not a bookstore.)

Reader report: Last day for Lucky's Dry Cleaner and Laundry

EV Grieve reader Brian Katz shares the following:

Lucky's Dry Cleaner and Laundry on 11th St. (520 East 11th St.), between Avenues A and B, owned and operated by Linda, one of the kindest people and representative of all that is wonderful about our village, will be closing today at 6 p.m. She has been run out due to a variety of circumstances (chiefly, a landlord who wants to break her lease and raise her rent while she returns to China to care for a family member) and must shutter her little shop, for good, today.

Not only has she offered her obvious business services to our immediate neighborhood, but she accepted mail deliveries for ALL her neighbors and never, ever expected anything in return.

Updated: Per the comments.. she will remain open through tomorrow now.

And now, the last post ever about a laundromat at 173 E. 2nd St., maybe

[EVG file photo]

The end and a new beginning.

Closure on the Klean & Kleaner saga on East Second Street. The laundromat here between Avenue A and Avenue B had been on the market for use as a bar-restaurant. The Living Room unsuccessfully tried to relocate here. The place then closed in the middle of July... then reopened as a laundromat a few days later under new ownership.

And now, the laundromat has unveiled its new sign. Please welcome Fresh Laundry & Cleaners.



The Free Dry with washer use (details!) remains in effect through September.

Laundromat saga comes full cycle on East Second Street

So, some closure on the Klean & Kleaner saga on East Second Street. The laundromat here between Avenue A and Avenue B had been on the market for use as a bar-restaurant. The Living Room unsuccessfully tried to relocate here. The place then closed in the middle of July... then reopened as a laundromat a few days later under new ownership.

As the signs point out, new efficient washers and dryers are coming soon.

And that's not all. You can dry for free after 6 p.m., though only "with wash machine use." So no cheating.

Soap opera shocker: Klean & Kleaner reopening as a laundromat

Wow. Klean & Kleaner closed down on East Second Street this past weekend ... the laundromat here between Avenue A and Avenue B had been on the market for use as a bar-restaurant...

Word spread among readers yesterday that a laundromat is back. EVG Facebook friend Edward Arrocha passed along the following: "Klean & Kleaner will reopen as a laundromat. It was sold to a different owner and the washing machine doors were returned. I do not know if it will be Klean & Kleaner or if it will have a change of name."

Indeed, a handwritten sign on the door yesterday courtesy of RyanAvenueA notes the return of the laundromat. No word on how many of the Klean & Kleaner staff will catch on with jobs here.

As previously reported, the owners of the Living Room on Ludlow Street were hoping to take over this space, though the CB3/SLA committee turned down that proposal in May.

BoweryBoogie reported this from that CB3 meeting:

As it stands, this stretch of Second Street was grandfathered into a general residence district, and doesn’t allow for any performances with cover charges. There was reportedly contact with the DOB to settle this issue, but the Living Room hadn’t heard any news as of last night. And they didn’t have the luxury of laying over the application another month due to landlord/lease constraints, so a vote had to transpire.

Word is the landlord figured that the space would sit empty ... and found a new owner willing to pay higher rents to run a laundromat.

Reader report: Klean and Kleaner has closed

[File photo]

As we reported last September, Klean & Kleaner, the laundromat at 173 E. Second St. between Avenue A and Avenue B, was on the market for use as a bar or restaurant.

Off and on during the last few months, we heard that the laundromat was closing very soon... On April 30, we thought the end was here. "They were loading trucks all afternoon. Wouldn't let me drop off clothes unless I was ok picking up in '2-3 days' at an undefined location," said one neighbor.

However, they remained open through this past weekend. Staff was there yesterday for customers to pick up their laundry. There was a sign noting that the washers were out of service. (Someone had removed the doors to the washers.)

Meanwhile, EVG Facebook friend Edward Arrocha took these photos in late April. "They are devastated," he said of the staff. "I will miss them."









Word is the landlord is now asking $18,000 a month in rent. As previously reported, the owners of the Living Room on Ludlow Street were hoping to take over this space, though the CB3/SLA committee turned down that proposal in May.

Also, this marks the third East Village laundromat to close in the last few months. (East 10th Street and East 13rd Street.)


[Yesterday]

Previously.