Thursday's parting shot

Cosmo's Launderama on First Avenue by Chris Rowland (who just launched an Instagram account here).

Laundromat-replacing laundromat closing on East 10th Street

Closing signs are up now at Le Pressing, the laundromat/dry cleaner at 204 E. 10th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Le Pressing opened in early 2014 ... taking over the space from Mimi and her son, who operated a laundromat here for many years. They had to close in 2013 after a rent increase.

According to the sign, Le Pressing will close after the business day on March 31.

H/T to Blue Glass for the photo

Dry cleaners: 1 up, 1 down

The laundromat-dry cleaners combo is now open at 200 Second Ave. between between East 12th Street and East 13th Street ... at the site of the former Little Pakistan deli...

And in other dry cleaning news... there has been a "for rent" sign up in recent months at Discount Cleaners at 230 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... and eventually a moving sign arrived... according to the sign, they are moving into (merging with?) the Metro Cleaners around the corner on Third Avenue between East 15th Street and East 16th Street...



...as of yesterday, the East 14th Street space has been dismantled... with a few items that haven't been claimed left behind for now...

A dry cleaner-laundromat combo for the former Little Pakistan Deli space on 2nd Avenue

Little Pakistan Deli at 200 Second Ave. closed in January 2015... and now there's a new tenant for the storefront between East 12th Street and East 13th Street... the coming soon (with three !!!) sign announces a dry cleaning and laundromat...

Supreme Laundromat now open on Avenue B

The laundromat is open for business here at 96 Avenue B between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street, per Dave on 7th…



We're told that the owner, Jenny Yang, also runs the Ten St. Laundromat at 286 E. 10th St. just west of Avenue A.

On Avenue B, the hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday (last wash at 7:30 p.m.!); 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday (last wash at 6:30 p.m.!)

The previous tenant, the Hare Krishnas, moved out back in July 2011

Previously on EV Grieve:
From cleansing souls to cleansing clothes at 96 Avenue B

Despite Grand Opening banner, Capital Laundry & Dry Cleaners has closed on Avenue B

Been meaning to note that Capital Laundry & Dry Cleaners closed earlier this month at 44 Avenue B between East Third Street and East Fourth Street.

And, despite debuting last September, management decided to keep the Grand Opening (30 percent off on drop-off and pick-up service) banner up these past nine months.

Anyway, Quick Coin apparently won this round…



H/T EVG regular Salim!

Previously on EV Grieve:
New laundromat now open at site of former laundromat

Space that houses 1st Avenue's Polish-American diner Neptune is on the market

The storefronts currently housing the Neptune and Lin's Laundromat at 192-194 First Ave. between East 11th Street and East 12th Street are on the market.

The listings at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank note that the rent for Neptune's 1,660 square feet is available upon request… and the possession of the space that houses the Polish-American diner was December 2014.

The spaces cannot be combined, per the listing.

The laundromat space is apparently "ideal for juice bar or cafe" …



Not sure if there's a need for another juice bar, given that Juice Press has two locations on East 10th Street between Second Avenue and Avenue A … not to mention Liquiteria on Second Avenue and East 11th Street and beQu Juice on East Ninth Street just west of First Avenue…

Will be sorry to see the Neptune eventually go. It has been here since 2001 (taking over the KK's space). It is always a hearty and inexpensive option… and, at least from our recent visits, rarely crowded. (We recall a Saturday night in December when the restaurant sat empty at 7:30.)

Not sure what happened here … a rent hike or just more of the neighborhood's changing culinary habits. (RIP Polonia, Kiev, Christine's, Leshko's, Teresa's…)

From cleansing souls to cleansing clothes at 96 Avenue B

Workers are fitting 96 Avenue B – previously home to the Hare Krishnas — with a laundromat, EVG contributor Dave on 7th notes.

The Hare Krishnas moved out of their home here between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street back in July 2011 ... The space has been vacant since then.

Previously, from 1990-1995, 96 Avenue B was home to Metropolis Vintage Apparel...

[1994, via Richard Colligan]

...which has been at 43 Third Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street since 1995.

Plans to add two floors to the existing two-floor building never materialized. East Yoga is housed on the second level.

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.