The Lazy Llama Coffee Bar is opening 2 new outposts, including on 1st Avenue

The Lazy Llama Coffee Bar is expanding in the neighborhood. 

Ownership has just signed two new leases — 194 First Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street and at 122 Ludlow St. between Rivington and Delancey. 

The Lazy Llama will be keeping its original outpost on First Street, which opened in December 2015 just west of First Avenue. 

The new leases come after Lazy Llama operated the snack bar in First Park for three years. That arrangement was set to expire this month.

No. 194 was last home to Cafe Sandra, which closed in 2022.

H/T Greg Goldberg

The Lazy Llama has closed in First Park; no new vendor in the pipeline

ICYMI: The Lazy Llama is no longer running the snack bar in First Park here between First Street and Houston adjacent to the First Avenue F stop...

The coffee shop, which has a cafe across the way at 72 E. First St., between First Avenue and Second Avenue, had operated from the kiosk since July 2021.

The Parks Department issued a Request for Proposal last July for "the renovation, operation, and maintenance" of the snack bar. The lease for the space expires in April.

However, don't expect a new tenant anytime soon. A Parks spokesperson told us this yesterday: "We did not receive any proposals for First Park in the East Village. Parks is exploring all options for the kiosk, including reissuing the RFP."

Previous local businesses at the kiosk include S'MAC and Mudspot Café.

In other Lazy Llama-related news, their sister business, Gemina Coffee Shop, opened this past November at 424 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. EVG readers have said nice things about the place. 

City issues RFP for the renovation and operation of the snack bar at First Park

The Parks Department has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for "the renovation, operation and maintenance" of the snack bar at First Park. 

The Lazy Llama currently holds the lease, which is up in April 2024, here in the space between First Street and Houston adjacent to the First Avenue F stop. 

The coffee shop, which has a cafe across the way at 72 E. First St., between First Avenue and Second Avenue, has been operating from the kiosk since July 2021. (They can apply for the new lease/agreement as well.) 

Here's some info from the RFP: 

The snack bar kiosk is an octagonal, 10-foot by 15-foot structure featuring a brick exterior, a pass-through counter and window, and a unique, wildlife-inspired roof. The interior includes a service area and storage. The kiosk sits just above the 2nd Avenue F train and is a prime location for commuters and park patrons to stop and enjoy the offerings of the snack bar. 

And!

The concessionaire will be required to renovate, operate, and maintain a café at a high standard of quality. The café should make a significant improvement to the ambiance of the park and surrounding area while providing a convenient service to the public. Proposers should submit a menu and price list in their proposals that demonstrate quality, variety, and affordability. Proposers should include some low-cost items on their menus. Parks will favorably view proposals that incorporate ethnically diverse and/or healthy food choices, such as salads, fresh fruit, yogurt, nuts, granola... 

A "recommended" remote prospect meeting is tomorrow (Wednesday, July 26) at 11 a.m. The meeting link via Teams is here. 

You can find a copy of the RFP via this site. (Click on the "Concessions Opportunities at Parks” link.) Proposals are due on Aug. 25 by 3 p.m. 

Previous local businesses at the kiosk include S'MAC and Mudspot Café.

The Lazy Llama Coffee Bar opens cafe in the First Park kiosk

The Lazy Llama Coffee Bar debuted an outpost in the First Park kiosk late last week. 

Llama@thePark is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. ... (and directly across the street from its coffee shop at 72 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue). 

Aside from coffee drinks, the kiosk here outside the F stop is serving a variety of sandwiches, wraps, burgers, fried chicken, salads and more...

Mud Coffee had been in this space since the fall of 2013. However, Mud closed up here early last fall.

The Lazy Llama Coffee Bar is in soft open mode on East 1st Street

The new cafe, serving Stumptown Coffee, is now open at 72 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

EVG regular @seancarlson, who shared this news, notes that the owner of coffee shop The Jolly Goat on West 47th Street is also running The Lazy Llama. (Which might explain the animal theme.)

The space here was home to Bluebird Coffee Shop until early last week.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Lazy Llama Coffee Bar is the name of the Bluebird replacement on East 1st Street