The PokéSpot has closed

After nearly four years on the corner of Fourth Avenue and 12th Street, the PokéSpot has closed. A for rent sign hangs in the front window. (Thanks to EVG reader Sheila for the photo!) They had not been open since the COVID-19 PAUSE.

The PokéSpot arrived in the summer of 2016 in a time of NYC's poke-sanity.

The poké market has thinned out a bit since then with the closure of PokéVillage on 14th Street in 2018 and now the PokéSpot.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The PokéSpot set for former Subway (sandwich shop) space on 4th Avenue

PokéVillage is the EV's first poke casualty

A commenter mentioned this on the Poke N' Roll post from Wednesday... PokéVillage has closed on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. A for rent sign hangs in the window. (Thanks to EVG reader Shiv for the photo!)

The Pokésters opened here in December 2016 toward the end of the Great Poké Rush of 2015-16. This marks the first closure of a poké-serving restaurant in the East Village during this time.

The address was previously home to Saving$ Paradise, which merged with I.Q. Decor in the spring of 2016. IQ Decor just went out of business following a rent increase.

More about Poke N' Roll, coming soon to 9th Street

[Photo yesterday by Steven]

There's a new sign up for Poke N' Roll at 441 E. Ninth St. and Avenue A. (We first noted this on Oct. 5.)

The new signage and the shop's social media platforms provide a few more details about what to expect here, namely poké bowls, bubble tea and fruit tea. No word though on an opening date... or who is behind this latest poké venture.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Poke N' Roll for 9th Street

Poke N' Roll for 9th Street

Apparently the Great Poke Trend of 2015-2016 continues deeper into 2017.

As this photo via EVG contributor Steven shows, a sign arrived on the front door at the previously vacant 441 E. Ninth St. for Poke N' Roll...



As Eater has noted, restaurants serving the Hawaiian fish dish are a dime a dozen now, though with several standouts. So we'll see where Poke N' Roll will fall on the Poke Meter. Don't know anything else about this operation at the moment, such as if it's related to the Poke N Roll in Glendale, Calif. (Probably not.)

And this is one of the long-empty storefronts along East Ninth Street in the Icon Realty-owned building at Avenue A.

The women's boutique Cloak and Dagger was in this small storefront, before relocating to the next block of Ninth Street several years back.

The building on the northwest corner was eventually free of retail tenants after Icon's takeover. (Icon Realty bought the building at 145 Avenue A for $10.1 million in April 2014, according to public records.)

After sitting empty for 18 months, the spaces got its first new tenant with the flower shop Beetlebug back in February, then GelARTo in July.

Previously on EV Grieve:
On East 9th Street Dusty Buttons is closing after 125% rent hike: 'Saying goodbye will hurt like hell'

Tenants and local elected officials speak out against Icon Realty

Sushi and pizza coming soon to the Bowery

There has been some activity in recent weeks/months in the south storefront at 342 Bowery between Great Jones and Bond.

Eater did a little sleuthing and learned that the space will apparently be called Poke Run, a restaurant operated by former Olympic athlete-turned-chef Michael Stember, who has been hosting secret sushi dinners — known as Sushi Belly Tower — in recent years. (BoweryBoogie notes that Stember is serving sushi in a new venture with Happy Ending on Broome Street.)

No. 342 was last home, in 2015, to a Subway (sandwich shop). The Subway opened here in late 2009, taking over the space after Downtown Music Gallery moved to Monroe Street.

Meanwhile! Activity continues a few doors to the south at No. 334...



DOB permits show that a pizzeria is taking the space. No other info is available at the moment. Updated: Apparently pizza-master Gino Sorbillo — the best in Naples? — will be opening shop in this space. Read more about him here.

PYT — "Home of America's Craaaziest Burgers" — imploded here after just three months in business about this time last year.

Perhaps the new operator can reverse the curse here. It was home to Forcella Bowery for nearly three years until November 2014 … only to be replaced in December 2014 by the tapas-friendly Espoleta, which closed six months later to make way for Gia Trattoria. They quickly closed. Then PYT arrived in October 2015.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A step back in time on the Bowery