Graceland looking empty

Walked in Graceland on Avenue A and Second Street the other night... looking rather barren ... the shelves up top are empty...




Has anyone heard any updates on it closing?


Previously on EV Grieve:
Graceland is closing in the next 10 days

Graceland is closing in the next 10 days

Last Thursday we reported that Graceland, the corner deli on Avenue A and Second Street, is going to be forced to close because the landlord wants a substantial rent hike.



Several EV Grieve readers who shop at Graceland, which opened here in 1991 with a $4,000 monthly rent, got confirmation of the closing this past weekend.

Per EV Grieve reader Ryan:

Talked to people at Graceland last night and they confirmed the landlord was asking for a 35%+ raise on rent. I'll be really pissed ... there's a lot of fun characters that work there, and with the continued storefront wasteland of Avenue A, who knows what we'll get in there, if anything.

And EV Grieve frequent commenter BaHa, who also blogs at With Leftovers, was told by a worker on Friday that Graceland closes in 10 days. The Graceland employee said they clear about $800 a day... "so, with a rent increase to $20K, they didn't have much choice. We were both choking up a bit."

This New York magazine feature from 2005 has more about Graceland's owner, Grace Dancyger.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Nicky's staying in the East Village; Graceland moving out?

Nicky's staying in the East Village; Graceland moving out?

Following up on our scoop last week about Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches on Second Street possibly closing up shop...



An EV Grieve reader talked with another member of the Dang family. Per the reader:

"They will not be closing until the next 2 - 3 months ... it is up to the landlord. He says that they are going to be moving just a block or 2 away from the current EV location and will have more space, less rent and still play 'The Simpsons.' The FiDi location will be run by his sister."

And this:

"He also said that the deli around the corner, Graceland (not the high-end one) is going to be forced to close as well as the landlord wants a substantial amount more in rent."



Which, I suppose, makes sense: Graceland and Nicky's share the same building...