Signage alert: Suntrust Candy on Houston

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Signage went up Friday for the next tenant at 301 E. Houston St., just east of Clinton... Suntrust Candy (almost wrote bank instead of candy) will offer the usual convenience-store items. 

This storefront was previously Psychic Readings by Hadid, which had two five-star reviews on Google.

That history may help explain what the construction crew told me, that they were "confused by some of the things they saw when cleaning out the space."

As for Suntrust, they hope to be open next month.

Sept. 7

From early this morning on the SE corner of Second Street and Avenue B... the discarded (and digested?) remains of a Christmas tree ... thanks to Salim for the photo!

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo of scaffolding work on Avenue B)... 

• Deliveristas face new enforcement in the East Village (Tuesday, Sept. 2) 

• Grassroots effort to preserve Most Holy Redeemer grows with weekly vigils (Tuesday, Sept. 2) … At what may be the final Mass at Most Holy Redeemer (Monday, Sept. 1)

• Reports: Early morning shooting injures 3 outside Lillian Wald Houses (Sunday, Aug. 31) 

• EVLovesNYC celebrates 100,000th meal served in 2025 (Tuesday, Sept. 2)

• Apologizing for "a dick move" on 7th Street (Wednesday, Sept. 3) 

• Revisiting New Yorkers, then and now: Michael Berman's '99 SNAPSHOTS at the 14th Street Y (Thursday, Sept. 4) 

• La Salle Academy celebrates return to 2nd Street campus (Thursday, Sept. 4)

• Local artist completes Key Food oil painting (and already sold) (Friday, Sept. 5)

• Here is the lineup for the free Show Brain show in Tompkins Square Park on Sept. 7 (Saturday, Sept. 6) 

• From apartment to curb: massive move-out on 9th Street (Monday, Sept. 1) 

• Comedy club eyeing former comedy club space on Avenue A (Wednesday, Sept. 3) 

• Openings: Other People's Clothes on 4th Avenue (Thursday, Sept. 4)

• Change is coming to Blink Fitness on Avenue A (and elsewhere) (Wednesday, Sept. 3) 

• The song of the summer, 46 years later (Monday, Sept. 1) 

• August Citizen crime watch (Monday, Sept. 1)

• Signage alert: Roku/Nana on Clinton Street (Wednesday, Sept. 3) 

• 6 posts from August (Sunday, Aug. 31)

• ICYMI: Our Q&A with "Caught Stealing" director Darren Aronofsky (Thursday, Aug. 28)

A 'Dear New York' moment at Mary's O's Soda Bread Shop

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Yesterday, St. Martin's Press gave away 100 signed copies of "Dear New York" at Mary's O's Soda Bread Shop on Seventh Street. 

This is the latest book by Brandon Stanton, the creator of Humans of New York. 

I caught up with Stanton and Mary O'Halloran at the shop, 93 1/2 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenues. 

As you may recall, Stanton led a hugely successful fundraising effort for O'Halloran in 2021. Stanton featured O'Halloran's story in August 2021. 

He followed up with a special promotion — the limited edition Mary O's "HONY" Irish soda bread scones. Stanton shared the deal with his more than 20 million social media followers worldwide. According to Stanton, they took in more than $1 million in orders for scones by the end of the night.

O'Halloran, proprietor of Mary O's on Avenue A, started making and selling scones (from her mother's recipe) by the box during the pandemic.

She opened her dedicated scone shop last November.

"Dear New York," a collection of essays and photos about the people of NYC, is out next month.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Thanks to Humans of New York, Mary O's will be making scones for the foreseeable future 

• Scone mania: At Mary O's, an Irish blessing and 20,000 pounds of self-raising flour 

• Mary O is bringing her scones to 7th Street

Saturday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy

On Seventh Street near Avenue A, the co-owners of Titi's NYC Inspired Empanadas, (from left) Nate Ramm and Jesus Villalobos, show their appreciation for their sidewalk signage after it was swiped — and returned! — this past week in a memorable way.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Apologizing for 'a dick move' on 7th Street

At the 10th Street Block Festival today

Photos by Stacie Joy

We had some muggy, summerish weather earlier today for the annual 10th Street Block Festival (until the after-3 p.m. downpour). 

Stacie Joy strolled the block between Second Avenue and Third Avenue to check out the vendors and patrons of this neighborhood-favorite September event...

Here is the lineup for the free Show Brain show in Tompkins Square Park tomorrow

Show Brain returns to Tompkins Square Park tomorrow (Sunday) with another stacked lineup. (This free show is in collaboration with Casa Gogol Records.) 

Set times look like this:

• Bubbles, 1:40-2:10 

• Grace Bergere, 2:20-2:50 

• Crazy and the Brains, 3:05-3:35 

• 95 Bulls, 3:50-4:25 

• Puzzled Panther, 4:40-5:15 

• Nabihah Iqbal, 5:30-6:10

Saturday's opening shot (aka TOO SOON)

Photo by Stacie Joy 

From Wednesday, when we spotted Richie putting out the Halloween candy at Key Food on Avenue A. Can we at least finish summer first?

P.S.

Yes, we do recall when the [RIP] Kmart on Astor Place put out the fake Christmas trees in September. 

Friday's parting shot

Photo by Cecil Scheib 

Tonight's 🔥 sunset...

Sept. 5

The Christmas lights were on tonight at Saifee on First Avenue and Seventh Street... makes it seem like the summer went by faster than it actually did.

Somebody to love

 

Crazy and the Brains is one of the bands on the bill for the free Show Brain show on Sunday afternoon in Tompkins Square Park. Anticipated set time on Sunday: 3:50 to 4:25.

The video here is for the early summer release "Fantasy."

The band got its start playing at the late, great Sidewalk Cafe on Avenue A and Sixth Street (soon to be Corner Bistro).  

The East 10th Street Block Festival returns Saturday (aka tomorrow!)

The East 10th Street Block Festival—a longtime neighborhood favorite—returns tomorrow between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with vendors offering vintage clothing, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, books, records, and more. 

The Larry Luger Quartet will perform from noon until 5 p.m. 

H/T Steven

About the latest ABC No Ro in Exile exhibit

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A post shared by ABC No Rio (@abcnorio)

The gallery is at 292 E. Third St. between Avenue C and Avenue D. 

Construction continues at ABC No Rio's new building, located on the site of its former headquarters at 156 Rivington St., between Clinton and Suffolk on the Lower East Side. The environmentally friendly new structure, designed by architect Paul Castrucci, will include a computer lab, print shop, and a zine library, among other amenities. 

ABC No Rio's previous four-story building on the lot, which was said to be in disrepair, was demolished in the spring of 2017, putting its programming into exile at other arts organizations around the city.

Local artist completes Key Food oil painting (and already sold)

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Local artist Steve Cosentino finished up his Key Food oil painting today on the southwest corner of Avenue A and Fourth Street. (First noted here.) 

He'll add some fine detail like lettering and his signature back in his home studio in Peter Cooper Village. The piece should be done in a few days, then it will need about a week or two to cure and completely dry before its new owner can pick it up. (Oh yes, someone has already purchased this! — and it wasn't us.)

To be continued (we hope!). 

You can find more of Steve's work here.

Openings: Other People's Clothes on 4th Avenue

Other People's Clothes debuted over the weekend at 112 Fourth Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street.

This is the fourth outpost for the biz that got its start in Ridgewood in 2020 before expanding to Williamsburg and Bushwick. 

Per the OPC website, the shops are a "creative platform for lovers of thrifted fashion. We welcome all to buy, sell, and trade their pre-loved clothing, shoes, and accessories every day of the week." 

The Fourth Avenue retail space had been vacant since 2019, when the longtime home of the Salvation Army Family Store reportedly had the lease terminated. 

The store is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Revisiting New Yorkers, then and now: Michael Berman's '99 SNAPSHOTS at the 14th Street Y

East Village resident Kika seen (top) in 1999 and 2019. Photos by Michael Berman 

Back in 1999, photographer Michael Berman wandered the streets of Manhattan with his camera, asking strangers if he could take their photos. 

Many of those he met lived or worked in the East Village. Some were just New Yorkers passing through, caught in a fleeting moment.

Two decades later, Berman has located many of those same people and photographed them again. 

The resulting series, "'99 SNAPSHOTS," is currently on display at the 14th Street Y's Lobby Gallery (344 E. 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue) through Sept. 29. 

The exhibit presents double portraits of 18 people, side by side: their younger selves on the cusp of the millennium and their present-day selves, reflecting the passage of time in a city that never stops moving. 

"Exploring the lives and perspectives of this multifaceted slice of our community conveys a timeless — and timely — message: We can learn from anyone we encounter," Berman said in a news release about the exhibit. "The hope is that this exhibition will inspire you to meet new people, connect with them, and spend some time listening."

The portraits are part of a larger documentary film and photography project that Berman has been working on since 2017, also called "'99 SNAPSHOTS." You can find a sneak preview of the film here. 

At its core, the project explores what it means to live in New York, and how stories of individual lives — when viewed together — can help bridge the divides of a fractured time. 

A reception with Berman is happening tonight (Sept. 4!) at 7. The event is free and open to everyone.

Berman started his career shooting for Brooklyn community newspapers before joining the New York Daily News. Over the years, his work has appeared in magazines, restaurants, shops, schools, nonprofits, and throughout the city. 

With "'99 SNAPSHOTS," Berman revisits the images that launched his career, reconnecting with the people who influenced not just his work — but also the city itself. 

You can follow Berman on Instagram at this link. 

Below, Brian (an EV resident) and Susan — 1999 and 2019...

Jennifer and Bob (aka Bleecker Bob) — 1999 and 2017 ...

On Saturday, La Salle Academy celebrates return to 2nd Street campus

La Salle Academy, one of New York's oldest Catholic high schools, is returning to its longtime East Village home on Second Street after 15 years on Sixth Street. 

On Saturday, the school will hold a ceremony at 44 E. Second St. (near Second Avenue) beginning at 9:30 a.m. The day will start with a mass in the gym celebrated by Bishop Edmund Whalen, followed by a blessing of the building and the unveiling of a new 9/11 memorial plaque honoring 12 La Salle alumni who died that day, including FDNY Chief Ray Downey. 

The FDNY Emerald Society Pipes and Drums will perform as part of the proceedings. 

La Salle, an all-boys school, had operated out of St. George Academy on Sixth Street since 2010. The Nord Anglia International School New York, which previously leased 44 E. Second St., relocated to Gramercy Park for the fall. 

With enrollment on the rise, the Christian Brothers and alumni have invested in modernizing the Second Street building, which had been the school's home from 1856 to 2010. 

As part of the celebration, Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue will be closed to traffic until 3 p.m. The block will feature food from local restaurants, music and games for La Salle supporters and the EV community. 

Previously on EV Grieve:

• School shuffle: La Salle Returning to 2nd Street as St. George seeks new tenants

Comedy club eyeing former comedy club space on Avenue A

Photos by Stacie Joy (top pic from last summer)

The owner of the Top Secret Comedy Club, a UK-based comedy and improv venue with several locations, is eyeing the former Upright Citizens Brigade Theater's UCBeast space on Avenue A and Third Street.

Reps for the business started by Mark Rothman 13 years ago will appear before CB3's SLA Licensing & Outdoor Dining Committee on Monday.

They are aiming for a full liquor license along with a food menu featuring pizza. The proposed occupancy shows 242 seats. You can find the questionnaire here with more info. 

The past tenant here, the gallery-performance space O'Flaherty's, had a memorable 18-month run. 

Upright Citizens Brigade Theater operated UCBeast here from September 2011 to February 2019. At the time, UCB officials blamed the "extreme costs" of operating here for its closing. 

The club had its share of drama before and right after its opening, notably with the Hot Chicks Room and New Jack Cornballs. 

Upright Citizens Brigade opened in a new space on 14th Street last fall.

Monday's meeting is at 6:30. The Zoom link is here. This is a hybrid meeting, and limited seating is available for the public — the first 15 people who show up at the Community Board 3 Office, 59 E. Fourth St., between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

Apologizing for 'a dick move' on 7th Street

Early Saturday morning, a surveillance camera spotted three men walking off with Titi's signage outside the quick-serve spot at 130 E. Seventh St., just west of Avenue A. 

Team Titi's was understandably not happy, and they posted the footage on Instagram, asking their 36,000-plus followers to help track down the sign. 

Per the post: 

Please help us find our custom sign. Posting this on our feed so ya'll can share and help us locate/identify these fools. These dudes are mad corny and need to do better. Custom signs cost a ton of money and are necessary to get our name and brand out there. This has a larger impact than they think. 

The outreach apparently worked. 

Sunday night at 11, the camera picked up someone — dressed inconspicuously for a nightime stroll on Seventh Street in a hoodie, sunglasses and a homemade ski mask — returning the sign.

EVG reader Drew Heffron pointed out the returned sign included a Post-it note: "So sorry. It was a dick move."

Titi's NYC Inspired Empanadas expanded here from Williamsburg, debuting back in June.

Change is coming to Blink Fitness on Avenue A (and elsewhere)

The Blink Fitness chain, including the Avenue A outpost, is in flux following the gym chain's sale. 

PureGym, a leading U.K.-based operator, finalized its $121 million acquisition of Blink late last year, with plans to rebrand 67 New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania locations under the PureGym banner this year.

New signage about PureGym is up at the Avenue A outpost between Sixth Street and Seventh Street for current Blink members here and elsewhere (like on Fourth Street and Lafayette)...

What this means on Avenue A, though, is less clear. Staff members offered conflicting answers on whether the gym will close for renovations during the transition. There are also questions about whether membership prices will increase. 

Signage points to promises of new equipment, refreshed spaces, and "a feel-good, judgment-free community."

For now, the only certainty is that Blink's new app went live last week, requiring members to download it to access the gym.

PureGym, a budget gym brand, reportedly beat out Planet Fitness in the acquisition after Blink's Equinox parent voluntarily filed for bankruptcy in August 2024.