More on the new First Avenue Papa John's, sort of

[Top photo by First Avenue correspondent Blue Glass]

As I exclusively reported last night.... Papa John's is now open on First Avenue...



I went looking for more info on the opening... like something official from the Papa Johnsters... I did come across this article from last month on PizzaMarketplace.com:

Papa John's to open in crowded East Village space

Popular New York blog EV Grieve [Editor's note: Woo!] has reported that a Papa John's storefront has appeared on First Avenue in an area of New York City's East Village that's especially pizza-dense. Back in March, the blog reported several pizza restaurants — such asLuzzo's, Motorino, Piola, Tonda, and more — having recently opened.

With all the local pizza concentration, Papa John’s may be looking to appeal to tourists looking for something recognizable in the famous New York enclave. Papa John’s spokesperson Tish Muldoon said the company sees the location as "a great growth opportunity for the brand in Manhattan." However, anecdotal commentary on the new storefront did not appear favorable toward the No. 3 pizza chain.

Meanwhile, no word if this is how pizzas will be delivered hereabouts:



Previous coverage here.

Breaking! Papa John's now open on First Avenue

And there were a handful of high school students inside... There will be much more on this developing story with our live team coverage the next 96 hours.

Previous coverage here.

'Chocolate Library' coming soon to St. Mark's Place

Here between Avenue A and First Avenue...




Dunno what exactly this will entail... there is a Chocolate Library in the UK.

'Restaurant/cafe use preferred' on corner of Second Avenue and First Street

The corner space at Avalon Bowery Place on First Street and Second Avenue has remained vacant since work ended on the apartment complex ...



However, I recently noticed a new "for lease" sign on the doors... noting that "restaurant/cafe use preferred."

East Village eatery etc.: Percy's opens tonight; Caffe Buon Gusto loses an awning

Percy's Tavern on Avenue A and 13th Street does open tonight...



Sintir quickly became the Olivia Bistro on Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue....




An EV Grieve reader notes that someone removed the canopy from the never-opened Caffe Buon Gusto on Fifth Street and Avenue B...



The Village Pizza Restaurant and Pizza joint on First Avenue near Second Street is closed now for some reason.... DOB signs on the gate..



A "for rent" sign just went up at the former Layalay space on Avenue B....



And there were big lines at Katz's yesterday.....

Timi's Gelateria Classica™ opening in former Andy's Chee-Pees space on St. Mark's Place

After a little speculation this week, we have confirmation what's coming to the former Andy's Chee-Pee's space on St. Mark's near Second Avenue: Timi's Gelateria Classica™ — "a gelato franchise for the 21st century, with true Italian artisanal gelato made fresh daily."




This is the first U.S. location... per the website:

A unique blend of Italian recipes from Veneto's renowned gelato experts and local, farm-fresh ingredients, Timi's Gelateria Classica™ is a zero-mile concept that brings a high-tech gelato experience from Italy to NYC for the first time. More than your typical gelateria, it will highlight the sweet and savory sides of Italian dairies with the unique combination of a mozzarella bar, a café proudly serving Lavazza, Italy's favorite coffee, and frullati bar for all-season, daylong options. Timi's Gelateria Classica™ Italiana NYC will be the flagship location for the Italian mini-chain, which has successfully launched its stores throughout the world in countries such as China, Mexico, Romania, and of course, Italy.

The upstairs will feature an Internet cafe. Look for it to open next week.

Meanwhile! On the corner! Roastown has a new sign...

Even MORE dessert now for St. Mark's Place?

Crews have been working behind the plywood here on St. Mark's Place at the former Andy's Chee-Pees...



An EV Grieve reader caught a look inside yesterday... and, from the look of things, expect more dessert.

"Inside right now are some contractors installing counters and an ice-cream freezer. Two stories — interior lofted balcony with tables/seating set up already."

Meanwhile, just a doorway or so away, they'll be dessert and coffee (and booze?) at Roastown Coffee. When will this block of St. Mark's Place crumble under the weight of desserts?

Tea Lounge opening on East Fourth Street

That long-vacant former Moroccan place on East Fourth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B has a new tenant...




Thanks to EV Grieve reader Collin Schwartz for the photos of the coming-soon Tea Lounge...

Buckets of beer at the Neptune

You know, it has been a long time since I've eaten at the Neptune on First Avenue between 11th Street and 12th Street ... Too long! So I headed that way for a meal...



...and I was surprised to see this sign in the window...



A bucket of beers for $15? Wake up after 5? Seems awfully, say, Village Pourhouse-y for the Neptune... I suppose this is the reality for places such as the Neptune to compete with so many fratty bars around... they are reduced to this.

East Village eatery odds and ends: Opening the Ballarò sidewalk cafe; hiring at the Ninth Ward; looking at the Library's mirror in the bathroom

Ballarò Caffè Prosciutteria on Second Avenue between Fourth Street and Fifth Street now has their sidewalk cafe up and running...(the CB3/SLA approved it in April.)



...not sure about the couch, though...



26 Seats on Avenue B between 10th and 11th is on the CB3/SLA docket this month under the Alterations/Transfers/Upgrades ... to something called Paris Cuisine Inc.



A new fancy cocktail bar called Ninth Ward is opening on Second Avenue in the old Thai on Two place...from the people behind Shoolbred's across the way... Oh, and they're hiring now...



An espresso and wine bar is coming to the former Hala Pita space on Ninth Street near Avenue A...



Oh, I saw these T-shirts on sale on Mulberry...




Something new coming to the former Chabela's space at 40 Avenue B... to something called Little Printz Cafe LLC.



And East Village Feed reported: "The New York Film Academy Café will be continuously screening silent films on it’s new 65 inch television located on the outside of the Astor Place café." And you could see the TV in the window if there wasn't such a glare...and I wasn't, inexplicably, standing behind the tree...



And here's the smoking area...



The Bhakti Cafe is now open at 25 First Ave. ... (Well, it's not open for the day yet in this picture...)



Many places were closed on Memorial Day, but, oddly enough, Avenue A's brand-new Diablo Royale Este closed for the entire holiday weekend...



Hey, when did the Library get a mirror in the bathroom? (the one on the left.) Did I just not notice?



Hey, when did Katz's get that sandwiches sign? Did I just not notice? Too busy getting into shoving matches with those German tourists last time?

Saint's Alp Teahouse reopens on June 26

Saint's Alp Teahouse on Third Avenue at NYU closed on April 5 for renovations... as the sign out front shows, the joint reopens on June 26... and will now serve things like fish cakes, spicy noodles and peppery squid... because you can't really find food like this for at least one block...

Habib's quietly opens on First Avenue

Last November, Habib's Place on Avenue A near Sixth Street closed rather suddenly...



Well! Thanks to Sean at East Village Wines for passing along the good news that Habib has relocated to the former Question Mark Cafe space on First Avenue between St. Mark's and Ninth Street. As Sean said, he's just getting started in the new location ... Indeed, as you can see, the old Question Mark signage remains...



However, some old Habib's clippings are up in the window...



And I've now officially lost track of all of Habib's former locations... Avenue A, Ninth Street, St. Mark's...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Habib's Place abruptly closes

Butta late than never: Avenue C coffee shop finally opens

After a long saga ... including past due rent and a seizure... EV Grieve reader DianeB sends along the photo with word that Bread and Butta on Avenue C near 11th Street is finally opening this morning...



P.S.
With apologies to BaHa for that headline.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Bread and Butta is hiring

Phase 1: The Juice Press opens Thursday

A sign is up at the Juice Press on First Street near First Avenue... showing an opening date of Thursday... plus other details about what's to come here, such as cooking classes...




Previously on EV Grieve:
What's coming to the Robot Daycare/Missing Sock/Mime Academy space

Eatery odd-n-ends: Bar/hair salon showing progress; food trucks rolling in; Shiki Kitchen staying Japanese

Spice Cove on East Sixth Street is still offering its Obama lunch special from last week...



Work continues at the old Plan B space on 10th Street... which is becoming a bar/hair salon. An old-timey sign is now up...



Rebecca Marx had a rather hilarious item on this back in January at Fork in the Road:

At last night's Community Board 3 meeting, the owner of Plan B appeared to apply for a license transfer for -- wait for it -- the tavern and salon he's planning to open in the Plan B space on East 10th Street. "We're re-tooling the concept," he explained. No, really?

The new place will be called the Blind Barber, and will continue to serve food from Gnocco, the Italian restaurant next door that supplied Plan B with its bar bites. And while one might reasonably worry that the old 'waiter, there's a hair in my soup' chestnut could assume terrifyingly realistic proportions in such an establishment, rest assured that although the restaurant and salon will be under the same roof, they will be two separate entities.

Food trucks are out in full force on Second Avenue with the Tribeca Film Festival playing stuff at the Village East Cinema...




The restaurant going into the former Shiki Kitchen space on First Avenue near St. Mark's Place has a name...



Hala Pita on Ninth Street near Avenue A closed after a little more than a year in business ...



On Saturday morning, students were filming in front of Bar on A at 11th Street... and the name was changed for the film to Circus... I wish I had stuck around ... looked interesting...including some kind of live animal, a guy in his underwear on a leash and the leading lady not wearing much...



There has been a lot of work going on in the former Surf City Smoothie Shop on St. Mark's...



Until now... seeing as the crew doesn't have those pesky work permits from the city...



The new deli at the former knitting shop on 14th Street near Second Avenue is now open...



And here's the deal at the new smoothie/juice place on First Street near First Avenue... It's called The Juice Press. Among other healthy things, the window promises weight control and juice cleansing... (Fork in the Road also noted this last week.)




Bonjoo, the Korean restaurant on First Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street, was seized by the city a few months back... and the space was recently put up for rent...