A look at the Schmuck sign on 1st Avenue

The cube-shaped-lettered Schmuck sign arrived in early November on the NW corner of First Avenue and Sixth Street...

The under-construction cocktail lounge comes via Moe Aljaff and Juliette Laroui, alum of Two Schmucks in Barcelona. (Previously) 

Punch recently talked with the pair and called this "New York's Most Anticipated Bar." 

In recent weeks, we've heard from a few readers who said the signage reminds them of the classic Burger-Klein sign that was a familiar presence at 28 Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street for decades. (Building history here.) 

We lost the Burger-Klein sign in 2014 when the gym took over the upper floors.

Here it is in all its 2013 glory...
 

Holy Cow announces itself on 14th and B

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The Holy Cow signage rolled up on Thursday on the SE corner of Avenue B and 14th Street. (H/T Maegan Hayward!) 

As we previously reported, the burger joint that started on the Lower East Side in 2018 is taking over this space. (A few readers were hoping for a diner-type spot here, but...)

The expanding chainlet, with over a dozen locations around the five boroughs and on Long Island, offers several vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. The menu can be found here. 

The business takes over the corner space from M & J Asian Cuisine, which quietly closed earlier in the summer after 10 years. Fans can find (and order from) the New M&J on West 29th Street.

Signage alerts: St. Mark's Burgers & Dogs, Kamisama, Alphabet City Gourmet Deli

Recent new signage includes St. Mark's Burgers & Dogs, which will soon be located at 34 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

The space was last very briefly home to Glizzy's.

Meanwhile, we have a coming-soon banner for Kamisama, a ramen restaurant at 230 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... 

The space was home to the Nugget Spot and Mad For Chicken in recent years.

And on the NW corner of Avenue C and Sixth Street, a new market is in the works... the awning is up for Alphabet City Gourmet Deli...

Alphabet Grocery went dark here in the spring. We don't know if the same owners are behind the new name-brand.

Top photo: Steven

2nd photo: Brian Carroll

3rd photo: EVG tipster

Signage, signage — everywhere signage!

We have lots of new signage to round up, starting with Cuts & Slices. The Bed-Stuy pizzeria is coming soon to 321 E. Houston St. between Attorney and Ridge. (We covered this here.)

Next! A market offering a deli counter, salad bar, and juice bar is coming to the NE corner of Delancey and Clinton.

And the name: Delancey Bites. (Hope they will be selling T-shirts for everyone who dislikes Delancey!)

Another market with a healthy bent is in the works for the NW corner of Fourth Avenue and 12th Street, a storefront that has seen several delis and food concepts come and go in recent years.

The No Fork branding is up at 131 Avenue A. The quick-serve sandwich shop in the Bronx's Little Italy plans an outpost in the former Bad Habit space between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street. (We covered this here.)

And there are three Schmucks painted on the plywood on the SW corner of First Avenue and Sixth Street, where a cocktail lounge-restaurant from former bartenders at Barcelona's Two Schmucks. (We wrote about this pending arrival at this link.)

Photos 1 and 2: Stacie Joy

Photo 3: EVG

Photos 4 and 5: Steven

A new signage era for Best Housekeeping on Avenue A

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

There's new familiar-looking signage at Best Housekeeping, the longtime business selling kitchen cabinets and appliances at 17 Avenue A between Houston and Second Street. 

Manager Myriam Stern said the previous sign (see below!) was missing some letters and had "seen better days," so it was time to replace it. A company in Brooklyn made the sign and installed it several days ago, as well as hauling away the old one. (Unfortunately, this classic Avenue A signage wasn't salvageable, unlike the much smaller Champagne's from up the block.) 

She and her husband, Fred Stern, took over the business in 1975 (they also own the buildings housing Best Housekeeping). 

According to this Q&A with Fred from 2012, the store's original owner, Bernie Hymowitz, chose Best Housekeeping to honor his initials. (The business dates to 1914.)

And a look at the sign from 2014... with the s in Housekeeping MIA...

Here's another view of the storefront the other day via EVG reader Newman... on the new sign, the GE logo is much smaller and there's less copy...

The case of the missing East Village Mini Market signage

Photo by Steven

On Sept. 2, we noted that Tompkins Finest Deli & Grill abruptly closed at 153 Avenue A near 10th Street... and just like that, new business signage for the East Village Mini Market was on the storefront. 

The new business gave off some smoke shop vibes... in any event, that signage is gone for now. (Also noted by a commenter on the last post the other day.) 

The windows remain papered over, so we can't tell what's going on inside. 

So. Theories! 

Perhaps: 

1) The sign was damaged and needs to be replaced 

2) The owners had second thoughts and decided not to open 

3) The landlord had second thoughts about renting to a smoke shop 

4) All the above

Today in East Village business signage that won't be saved

Photo by Steven 

Farewell to the Crab Du Jour signage... spotted in a dumpster today on First Avenue between 13th Street and 14th Street. 

The Crabsters closed here back in December after nearly a year in business. 

There is apparently a new tenant for 225 First Ave., though we have yet to hear who.

The great New Double Dragon signage shines brightly again, now on the Lower East Side

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

New Double Dragon was forced to close earlier this month with the pending demolition of its longtime home at 37 First Ave. between Second Street and Third Street.

However, that great NDD signage lives on.

NDD owner Shawn Lin is friends with Kenney Shi, the proprietor of Soley Tea at 111 Eldridge St. between Broome and Grand. (Both men are Fujianese.)

The two had been discussing preserving the sign for months — once Shawn learned this winter that he might need to shut down his quick-serve Chinese restaurant this year.

Once Shawn finally closed, Kenney hired a sign company to carefully remove and transport it to his shop on the Lower East Side this past July 11...

Kenney saved all the (nonworking) lightbulbs and bought new wiring for the sign with the hopes of having it illuminate his small shop. 

Kenney has also saved and restored other Chinese and Chinatown-area signage, which he displays in his boba tea shop and art gallery...

Soley Tea is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. if you want to pay a visit.

Postscript

After my first visit this past week, Kenney got the signage to light up... even adding a dimmer switch ...

New signage era for Temakase on 2nd Avenue

Saturday saw the arrival of new signage at Temakase, the Japanese restaurant specializing in handrolls at 157 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. (Thanks to Steven for the photos!) 

Gone is the more minimalist storefront... and in — a colorful red and yellow crab...

Temakase opened in the summer of 2020. Haven't heard any reader reports on this place since then.

And wait until you see how expensive their balloons are!

Earlier this month, the folks at Flordel Florist, 226 E. Third St., changed up the signage here between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

The sign originally said "Florist Flowers." The new signage — "Very Expensive Flowers" — is definitely more memorable. 

Anyway, they are running a special — the dozen red roses, previously priced at $19.99, are available for $101.11, which includes the "no sense of humor fee." 

Photo by Stacie Joy!

So long to the Essex Card Shop signage on Avenue A; Pac Lab on 1st Street

Back on Thursday, a reader shared the above photo... showing workers removing the old Essex Card Shop signage from its former storefront on Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street. 

And here's how the storefront at the city-owned No. 39 looks now...

Essex Card Shop moved one block to the north to 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street last June. A shop regular says that the owners were keeping the sign, but it wasn't going to fit above the new location. 

In other old signage news... the old Pac Lab signage was removed last week from 37 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Per the Anthology Film Archives: "Pac Lab was a true NYC staple, as well as the last local resource we had for same-day processing of Super-8mm and 16mm film. Over the years Pac Lab proved itself to be a company that possessed as much character and quirkiness as its clients." 

Pac Lab closed at some point in 2014 or 2015.

The for-real Target signage has arrived at EVGB

A tipster shared the above photo from Friday at 500 E. 14th St. at Avenue A ... the wraparound Target signage has arrived on the corner space (Previously just a small sign marked the location for construction workers.)

Now, though!





As reported last summer, the small-format Target will cover two levels here, selling men’s and women’s apparel and accessories, food (with grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, beverages), health and beauty and electronics. Etc.

The East Village Target has an expected July opening date.

Oh, and about EVGB. That's short for "East Village's Greatest Building," the nickname that Extell Development bestowed upon this retail-residential complex.

McDonald's loses its golden arches on 1st Avenue

In a dramatic development at McDonald's on First Avenue, a crane crew was on the scene here between Sixth Street and Seventh Street for a signage switcheroo this morning...

As you can see, workers replaced the McDonald's with the stylized yellow "M" of the Golden Arches to...



... a sign that a typographist standing nearby believes is now entirely Helvetica Neue Black...



There was no immediate response from anyone else in the area.

Artichoke Basille's Pizza signage arrives at new 14th Street location

[Photo by Pinch]

Back on Friday, workers hoisted the new Artichoke Basille's Pizza signage at 321 E. 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue — across the way from their current location that has been closed since the fire on May 26.


[Photo by KT]

We first spotted plans for the new location this past November.

Team Artichoke hasn't offered up much about the new 14th Street Artichoke. Co-owner Francis Garcia told Eater in April that the lease is up at No. 328, "so they took that as an opportunity for bigger and better. The new location will allow for expanded offerings, like cauliflower fritters, broccoli rabe sandwiches, and more."

There also hasn't been much more on the fire, which started as the pizzeria was closing up for the night/morning. An FDNY source told the Post that the fire didn't appear to be suspicious.

The Department of Buildings issued a partial vacate order on the building:

DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE 2 STORES AT LEFT AND RIGHT OF 1ST FLOOR, 10 FRONT APTS AT LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FROM 2ND STORY TO 6TH STORY, 4 APTS AT MIDDLE OF RIGHT SIDE OF BUILDING FROM 2ND STORY TO 5TH STORY

It's not clear how many residents are currently in the building.

Artichoke's first location opened on 14th Street in 2008. There are now eight other locations, in Brooklyn, Queens and Berkeley, Calif.

In addition, the Artichoke website is featuring information about franchising...



Thank you to EVG readers Pinch, KT and Tyler for sending photos!

Mystery on St. Mark's: the new 98 Favor Taste signage is — gone

[Photo by Steven from Tuesday]

On Feb. 3, workers put up colorful signage for 98 Favor Taste, the incoming restaurant that will serve traditional Korean-style barbecue and Chinese hot pot meals on St. Mark's Place at Second Avenue.

And one week later, the signage has been wiped away... this happened sometime yesterday...



To be continued...

Storefronts and signage: Kati Roll awning is here; more legal papers for Empire Biscuit

The sign for the incoming Kati Roll Company went up back on Thursday at 128 Second Ave. near St. Mark's Place. This will be the fourth Manhattan location for the kati roll specialists (there's one in London too). There hasn't been an opening date announced yet. Find more background on all this here.

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A sign for Odd Eye NYC recently arrived at 524 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B... a nearby resident said that it will be a multimedia studio...



The previous tenant here, the designers Heights + Kenchi, moved to Ninth Street.

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[Photo from Friday]

Several EVG readers shared the latest stack of legalese affixed to the Empire Biscuit front door of the storefront at 198 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street... a final judgement of eviction...







According to the legal documents (the most recent batch to arrive here), the owner is in arrears on rent and back taxes to the sum of $106,000.

Empire Biscuit, which opened in the fall of 2013, was only open a few days this year back in January.