7-Eleven alert: Are 2 chain stores replacing Bar on A and Angels & Kings?

[From August]

In recent years, when a business closes around here, it's inevitable that the Starbucks-7-Eleven-Subway rumor makes the rounds as a replacement.

We heard this after Graceland closed ... when 34 Avenue A was looking for a new tenant ... when Kate's Joint closed on Avenue B ... when 219 First Avenue had retail space available; ditto for the Copper Building retail ground floor — and so on. Sometimes it turns out to be true, and other times, it's just a rumor. Or something people use merely as a threat.

So we heard the Starbucks-7-Eleven-Subway whispers about the recently shuttered Bar on A at East 11th Street. In part, these rumors surfaced because Ben Shaoul of Magnum Real Estate owns the building ... and two of his East Village properties are now home to a Starbucks (First Avenue at East Third Street) and a 7-Eleven (Broadway and East 12th Street). On Monday, one of the construction workers gutting 170 Avenue A told told a reporter from The Local that a 7-Eleven was taking over the former Bar on A space.

[Photos by Shawn Chittle]

However, in addition, workers have cleared out Angels & Kings, Pete Wentz's onetime emo hangout behind Bar on A at 500 E. 11th St. (aka 170 Avenue A). According to the work permits for No. 500: "REMODEL EXISTING STAIR CONNECTING CELLAR AND FIRST FLOOR. REMOVE INTERIOR NON-LOAD BEARING PARTITIONS AT FIRST FLOOR."

[Last evening via EVG reader Cheryl Pyle on Facebook]

An EVG regular who has been watching all this unfold thinks that the two spaces together are too big for just a 7-Eleven, and believes that the two spaces would yield both a 7-Eleven and a Subway. Or a Starbucks. This is only a theory. But plausible.

In January, the CB3/SLA gave the OK for the people behind Keybar on East 13th Street to take over the Angels & Kings space and open a bar-restaurant serving Hungarian food. No word on whatever happened to those plans.

However, there's nothing just yet on the DOB permits pointing specifically yet to a 7-Eleven, Starbucks or Subway. One connection: The applicant of record for both 500 E. 11th St. and 170 Avenue A is Bentonville, Ark.-based Harrison French & Associates, an architecture and engineering firm whose clients include 7-Eleven, Starbucks and Subway. (Harris French did the 7-Eleven on Broadway at East 12th Street and East 14th Street.)

In any event, nothing official has been released about the corner's future. But given NYC's current retail environment, you may want to get ready for the first national, non-bank chain/franchise on Avenue A. And probably not the last.

Gracefully is closing on Avenue A

A few weeks ago, the market at 28 Avenue A between East Second Street and East Third Street cut back its hours, forgoing around-the-clock sales for an 11 p.m. closure.

Now comes word that the store will be closing for good soon. We've heard as early as this Friday … or by the end of the month. An employee confirmed the closure to us.

The story is that Gracefully needs to vacate to make way for the New York Sports Club that is opening here…



We were trying to remember when Gracefully opened — 1997? Anyway, long before Whole Foods… and, more recently, Union Market.

And this will be the last of Grace Dancyger's delis to close in the East Village. Graceland closed in April 2010 on Avenue A and East Second Street in April 2010 after a 19-year run. And Adinah's Farm closed in June after 20 years on Avenue C and East Second Street.

As far as we know, there are still three other Gracefully locations in the city, including on First Avenue in Stuy Town.

Thanks to @AnnaRoseMusic for the tip

Previously on EV Grieve:
RUMOR: New York Health & Racquet Club taking over the space above Gracefully on Avenue A (24 comments)

New York Sports Club in the works for Avenue A

Sidewalk bridge and scaffolding arrive ahead of planned New York Sports Club on Avenue A

New York Sports Club says hello on Avenue A

Familiar Burger-Klein sign has disappeared from Avenue A

More on the Gaelic gastro pub coming to Avenue A; Forbidden City's renewal denied

So, as I was saying, the CB3/SLA committee granted the transfer of Al Diwan's liquor license to Percy's Tavern on Avenue A and 13th Street Monday night...

The Percy's folks were turned down last month...However, they returned with a stronger concept and better community outreach. The owner, Larry Watson, has lived in the East Village for 25 years, arriving here in 1986 to work as a building super on 11th Street and Second Avenue...

Watson handed out packets to those sitting around him... inside was all the background information a blogger neighbor would want... According to his bio, he moved here as a single father and raised four children, all of whom attended PS 19 on 11th Street... Per the bio: "I love this neighborhood and would never do anything to compromise all the years and continued effort that was put into our neighborhood. I have supported Father Pat Moloney and St. Brigid's with cleaning up and maintaining this area."

His mission for Percy's, which is named for 19th-century entertainer William Percy French: "To become such a vital part of the community that Percy's will be the standard."

The chef was on hand, and he said that he aspires to be like Northern Spy around the corner on 12th Street. And he mysteriously wouldn't name the Michelin-starred restaurant where he currently works out of fear of losing that job. (Watson said everyone will be suitably impressed when they hear where he worked.)

In a letter to the CB3, the president of the 13th Street Block Association gave Percy's a rousing endorsement, citing his community outreach and promise to be a good neighbor. Among other things, he vows to close the sidewalk doors at 10 p.m. nightly while the sidewalk tables will be removed at 11 p.m.

Looking at the menu now... bar snacks include pork skins...smoked mackerel on rye... pork cheeks on toast for lunch...they'll also be open for brunch on weekends...

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Meanwhile on Monday night... Forbidden City, right next door to Al Diwan on Avenue A, was up for a renewal of their liquor license ... Committee chair Alexandra Militano mentioned that CB3 had just received more than 20 additional complaints about Forbidden City, ranging from patrons making noise, obstructing the sidewalk, drinking outside, vomiting, peeing, etc., etc.

Plenty of nearby neighbors were there to speak out against Forbidden City, which is on the ground level of a multi-use building. Said one 22-year resident: "It has totally destroyed the quality of life in the neighborhood." She said that she made it a point to be in by 10 p.m. on a Saturday to avoid the crowds along that stretch of Avenue A... One resident said the patrons were "sketchy characters" and the place was, overall, "really unbearable."

One of Forbidden City's upstair's neighbors recalled the night last summer in which the bar's off-duty bouncer, Eric "Taz" Pagan was murdered... The resident recalled the horrific imagery of seeing paramedics trying to revive Pagan on the sidewalk. "The scene was just horrible. My daughter asked me what happened. I couldn't tell her. I lied and said that it was some roadside repairs."

(Committee members and the Forbidden City reps said the shooting had noting to do with the bar.)

During all this, three representatives from Forbidden City stood there rather awkwardly, waiting for their turn to speak. And when it came time to talk, well, they seemed a little disorganized and defensive. Several of the neighbors talked about the bar's recent DJ competitions, which have drawn huge crowds. The bar reps foolishly tired to describe exactly what this is ... "It's not a competition ... it's a DJ showcase." Ah, well!

The bar manager said that this was his first managerial experience... the owner asked the committee for their advice on how to keep the sidewalks clear... everyone got a lecture from Militano, from the residents who waited until right before the meeting to register complaints... to the Forbidden City management for failing to be proactive.

After nearly of an hour of all this, the committee denied Forbidden City's request for a renewal... it now goes to the full CB3 board on June 22...

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I bailed after nearly four hours and four items... there were nearly 30 more on the agenda... Eater correspondent Gabe Ulla gamely stayed until the wee hours...

As he reported for Eater:

* There was plenty debate for SRO... the grotesquely named new eatery proposed for the former SRO at the Bowery and Stanton... "the board wasn't exactly fond of Olsen naming a swank wine bar in an actual SRO building -- SRO ... But like the board concluded in the end, it's a changing neighborhood and there's little they can do to stop that." Approved! (Read BoweryBoogie's coverage of this place here.)

* A new eatery was approved for 40 Avenue B, the short-lived Dominican restaurant Chabela's. The place will be called Little Printz Cafe, a "global Jewish" restaurant that will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.

* In other items from Eater, One and One and Spina were approved for sidewalk cafes while TKettle on St. Mark's Place was denied their beer/wine upgrade.

Previously on EV Grieve:
CB3 deadlocked over new "fast-food Italian" at former Graceland space; 7-Eleven next?