Outdoor comedy fundraisers continue for the Sixth Street Community Center

The outdoor comedy series, held in a private backyard in the East Village, continues on to help raise funds for the Sixth Street Community Center between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

The next shows for Sixth Street Comedy, produced by EV resident Ali Fischbein, are coming up this week (Wednesday and Thursday evenings). 

You can follow @sixthstreetcomedy for details on the guests and hosts. Or visit this site for ticket info. Keep in mind there is very limited capacity. And masks are required.

The series kicked off in early September, as we reported here.

Image via @sixthstreetcomedy

Beard Papa's bringing the cream puffs to St. Mark's Place

For the first time in more than 50 years, 16 St. Mark's Place won't be housing a barber shop.

Public records show that Beard Papa's — a 2000s-era chain that sells cream puffs — will be the new tenant. (H/T Upper West Sider!)

The company got its start in Japan in 1999, and now has 400 locations in 15 countries... and there are already several outposts in NYC.

St. Marks Barbershop moved away from 16 St. Mark's Place to a new spot around the corner in early October.

The long history of Sun's Laundry on 14th Street

Sun's Laundry closed at the end of August at 626 E. 14th St. ... marking the end of the decades-spanning business that Robert Lee opened with his father in this storefront between Avenue B and Avenue C in 1959.

NBC News has a lengthy feature on Lee and his shop — one of the city's last Chinese hand laundries — that's worth your time.

An excerpt: 

By clocking in 12 hours a day, six days a week, to support his family, Lee was able to put his children, Jane and Edward, through city colleges. During the golden years in the 1980s to the 1990s, Gee said, his uncle earned roughly $2,000 to $3,000 a month.

Lee claims to have maintained the lowest prices, starting at 19 cents to clean a shirt in 1959 and $1.20 in 2020, while competitors usually charged $1.80 to $2.50.

However, the shifts in consumer habits to automated drying machines in the 1970s to polyesters and wrinkle-free products in the 1980s to casual wear in the 20th century had slowly caused hand laundry businesses to falter. But Lee never considered automating his business model.   

Still, Lee and his family were able to buy a two-story house in Elmhurst, Queens, with their added savings from selling their laundry business in Boston. They had purchased Sun's Laundry for $4,300 and secured a 99-year lease, with rent starting at $100 a month in 1959, which steadily rose to $800 from 2008 onward.

An Art Attack at East River Park

On Friday evening, a group of artists came together to paint the amphitheater in East River Park ... the Art Attack (first reported here) was a way to protest the upcoming partial closure of East River Park for up to five years as workers will complete the $1.45 billion storm protection project.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these photos... including of organizer Ian Dave Knife...

Postscript

The Parks Department swooped in quickly ... sending a team of power washers to the scene to blast away the art on Saturday. Park regulars were surprised by the response, given how long trash and needles and other items that need attention are often neglected...

As previously reported: Last November, City Council signed off on the hotly contested flood-protection plan that will bury/elevate East River Park by eight feet as part of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project. Construction is expected to start this fall.

You can read more about various community efforts at the East River Park ACTION website. You can find the city's East Side Coastal Resiliency Project website here.

The East Village Community Fridge is out of order after someone tipped it over

A recap from the weekend... sometime Friday night, someone (or a group?) decided to knock over the new East Village Community Fridge outside S'MAC on the northwest corner of First Avenue and 12th Street. 

Three uniformed officers from the 9th Precinct put the fridge back upright. This was just the third night for the fridge out in the wild.

Unfortunately, the fall KO'd the fridge, and it is no longer working. 

Said S'MAC co-owner Caesar Ekya in the comments: "And that fridge won't work now so have to find a new one. But we'll get something up and running again this week. Thanks for the donations and will update as soon as a new one is installed."

As we reported last Thursday, this is a project between S'MAC owners Sarita and Caesar Ekya along with East Village Neighbors, a local volunteer group, and Change Food, a social marketing nonprofit. Residents were welcome to drop off unopened food for anyone in need to take.

Worldwide exclusive: Your first look inside the new Popeyes, opening soon on 1st Avenue

As we've been reporting, Popeyes is opening an outpost at 39 First Ave. here between Second Street and Third Street.

The other day, EVG Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen correspondent Stacie Joy was invited to take a look inside the chicken-fried paradise...

This outpost is expected to open at the end of the week. There are more than 15 Popeyes in the metropolitan area.

This retail space has sat empty for four-and-a-half years ... ever since NY Village Deli moved to a smaller storefront on the block. 

P.S.

Because someone will ask about the top photo: the people outside the incoming Popeyes were NOT waiting to be first inside when they open. They were looking at the John Lennon bus that was making the rounds in honor of his birthday this past Friday.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen for 1st Avenue?

Openings: Jose Luis Mediterranean Cuisine on Avenue B

Jose Luis recently opened here at 186 Avenue B between 11th Street and 12th Street... 

Don't know anything about the owners at the moment. You can find their menu of Mediterranean cuisine at the Jose Luis website. They are open daily from 5 to 11 p.m. with curbside and backyard seating available.

This space was previously Very Thai.

Saigon Market has closed on University Place

EVG reader Doug shares the sad news that Saigon Market has permanently closed on University Place between 12th Street and 13th Street... they closed after service on Oct. 4 ... 

The owners left this message on the restaurant's website:

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is affecting our way of life and businesses. Saigon Market has tried our best to survive through this but unfortunately with deepest pain and regret, we want to inform you that our doors will close permanently as of Sunday, Oct. 4.

Saigon Market would like to THANK our local communities, loyal patrons, and friends for all of the support during the past 10 years!

They will continue on with their Saigon Grill & Bar in Brooklyn. 

Weekend parting shots

A few scenes from last night ... where a birthday party for Daniel Jean ended up on Avenue B at Fourth Street... Stacie Joy took these photos before the NYPD moved everyone along...

Snow joke: Why you saw plows out on the streets today

There were some puzzled queries today after residents spotted snow plows around the neighborhood... as these photos by Vinny & O show...

The city's Sanitation Department provided some clarity via a tweet — training!

See a snow plow or salt spreader in the street? Snow training is underway! Snow training will take place every Sunday for the next few weeks: https://t.co/H8RfirnHwL pic.twitter.com/6ev7i5K4mg

— NYC Sanitation (@NYCSanitation) October 11, 2020

Hopefully they'll do some training around the many curbside dining set ups too.

Week in Grieview

 

Highlights from this past week include... and top photo by Derek Berg... 

• Owner's retirement will bring a close to EV children's treasure Dinosaur Hill next month (Thursday) 

• A campaign to co-name part of St. Mark's Place after Jimmy Webb (Monday) 

• Bread alert: Sullivan St. Bakery pop opens a 9th Street outpost (Tuesday) 

• A community effort to clean up Tompkins Square Park today (Saturday) 

• Karma expanding East Village footprint (Wednesday) 

• Someone stole the cash resister from Cafe Himalaya (Tuesday) 

• At the 9th annual LUNGS Harvest Arts Festival (Wednesday) 

• Here's an updated interactive map with what's open in the East Village (Thursday) 

• A grand finale at Modern Love Club this weekend (Saturday) 

• Taco time: Amigo debuts on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

• This week's NY See panel (Thursday) 

• AuH20 Thriftique closes up shop on 7th Street (Monday) 

• Tech hub tops out on 14th Street (Monday) 

 • City OKs 10-story condoplex for 14 2nd Ave. (Wednesday) 

• A blessed day for dogs at Trinity Lower East Side (Monday) 

• Here Nor There opens on 9th Street (Sunday) 

 ... and spotted practicing (????) this morning on Astor Place...

---

Follow EVG on Instragram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics.

Instant karma: A tribute show for John Lennon atop Glinda the Good Bus

In celebration of John Lennon's 80th birthday this past Friday, Michelle Joni and her Expand-a-Band took Glinda the Good Bus out on the streets for a rooftop tribute show.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy boarded the bus as they set up on First Avenue near Second Street... 

 

She joined the band again as they stopped for a song on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place...

[Updated] 26-year-old man shot and killed last night on Avenue A at 13th Street

 

Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street is closed this morning as police continue to investigate a fatal shooting late last night. 

According to the Daily News, a 26-year-old man was shot and killed during an argument on Avenue A at 13th Street around 1:20 a.m. 

Police say the victim was shot once in the chest. No other details are available at the moment. Will update this post when more information becomes available. 

William Klayer shared this photo from the scene...

Updated 1:54 p.m.

According to the Daily Mail, "two groups of men were embroiled in a dispute on the corner of E. 13th St. and Avenue A" ... and an "unidentified suspect reportedly pulled out a gun and opened fire into the crowd of men." 

Police identified the victim as Tyrell Williams.

Updated 7:32 p.m.

The Daily News has an update with a few more details, including quotes from the victim's mother. Williams was also a father of two.