Madina Deli Shop opens in former Reciprocal Skateboards space on East 11th Street

[Photo by Shawn Chittle]

The deli is just getting up and running here on 11th Street just east of First Avenue… in one of the storefronts that previously housed Reciprocal Skateboards.

Reciprocal closed in March after five-plus years in business. In a Facebook post, owner Jon Eastman wrote: "We are unfortunately completely out of resources to continue operating any further. And by resources, I mean money."

Bleecker Street charmer has a chance to look like its pricy condo neighbors

The 4-story, vacant building at 25 Bleecker — between the Bowery and Lafayette — is new to the market.

Imagine the possibilities via this Cushman & Wakefield listing:

The building is ripe for conversion as current ownership already has LPC approval for a redesigned façade and mixed-use conversion of the existing SF. Alternatively, a purchaser could seek to maximize the buildable envelope by seeking a residential variance for a condo development as seen at nearby projects such as 40 Bond Street and 41 Bond Street.

The property is across the street from the new condo building The Schumacher at 36 Bleecker Street where multiple units are under-contract over $3,000/SF and behind 41 Bond where the PH unit is currently under-contract for over $4,300/SF.

Here's a rendering showing the possibilities of an expanded No. 25 …



Price tag for the existing building: $6.5 million

Images via Cushman & Wakefield

A 'beautiful tradition of fur, feathers and family' Saturday at the Immaculate Conception Church

Via the EVG inbox…

In celebration of the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the beloved patron saint of animals, Immaculate Conception Church, located at 14th Street and First Avenue, will hold its annual Blessing of Pets in front of its main doors on Saturday Oct. 3 at one in the afternoon. Please note that pets need not be Catholic to be blessed.

We invite all to join us in this beautiful tradition of fur, feathers and family.

Moms speak out about guns with the help of an illustrated book

This morning outside PS 188 on East Houston and Avenue D, a group from The Lower Eastside Girls Club’s (LESGC) Moms Speak Out campaign — women who have been affected by gun violence — joined City Council Member Laurie Cumbo, and reps from the Middle Project of Middle Collegiate Church to launch the distribution of 3,500 copies of William Electric Black's illustrated book "A Gun Is Not Fun."

LESGC's Moms Speak Out participants plan to distribute the books in front of every public school and day-care center with Pre-K through 2nd grade classes in the East Village-Lower East Side.



"I wrote this book because we are losing too many young people of color to gun violence," said Black, aka Ian James, who received seven Emmy Awards for his work as a writer on "Sesame Street." "It is a plague facing our nation and something must be done so I decided to use the 'Sesame Street' target audience and start educating them about this timely, and too often deadly, issue."



Photos by Stacie Joy

Connections and photos at Ray's Candy Store

[Copyright© 2015 Whitney Browne Photography]

Tonight is the opening reception of "At Ray's: Connection Is Why We’re Here," a photography exhibit by Whitney Browne.

Browne, whose work has appeared in The New York Times, HuffPost and Time Out, has worked on and off at Ray's Candy Store, 113 Avenue A, the past two years. And she brought along her camera during shifts.

We asked Browne a few questions about her time at the shop alongside 82-year-old proprietor Ray Alvarez ...

How did you start working at Ray's?

I have been going to Ray’s as a customer since 2006, but in 2013, I started helping him out behind the counter. I go in when I can, which is sporadic at best. Sometimes I am in there for weeks at a time, and then I can’t make it in for months, but whenever I walk in the door Ray welcomes me in.

In 2013, I wandered into Ray’s and he taught me how to make my own egg cream. People started coming in so he taught me how to make fries and shakes. He said he needed some help, so I just started coming back and helping when I could. For a few months in 2013, I was in between apartments and was able to stay in Union Square. I could not sleep, so I would go in and help Ray during the graveyard shift. In all honesty, a big part of why I went to Ray’s and still do, is because I get lonely, and when I am at Ray’s I feel useful.

What intrigues you the most about Ray’s?

I am intrigued by Ray’s perseverance. I love that he has been around for over 40 years. The East Village has always been where I am drawn to in the city, and I like feeling connected to a part of the city that I cherish.

The regulars are also super special to me. I love that people come to Ray’s to hang out and chat. There really aren’t many places of this kind that I know of. Ray’s is a hub. We talk about what’s going on in the world and the city.

I know why I come to Ray’s, it’s personal. About me needing some interaction. I wonder why other people are there too. We all say to hang out, but I think going to Ray’s does something more. I like the characters who walk through the door.

What has been your most memorable moment from your time at Ray’s?

I really don’t know if I have a most memorable moment. It all kinda gets rolled up into an experience.

Maybe the first few times Ray went to lay down in the back and he left me to run the shop. I can remember thinking, "wow, Ray trusts me."


[Copyright© 2015 Whitney Browne Photography]

"At Ray’s: Connection Is Why We’re Here," on view tonight through Monday at 103 Allen St. and Delancey.

Gallery Hours: tonight and Friday 6-9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 2-8 p.m., Monday, 6-9 p.m.

There's a raffle tonight for a framed print from the exhibit. The ticket will be drawn at 7:30 p.m. Raffle tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20. All the proceeds from the raffle are going straight to Ray.

Find more details here. The exhibit is co-presented with miLES.

Hitchcocktober starts tonight at Village East Cinema with 'The Birds'

Once again, Village East Cinema on Second Avenue at East 12th Street is presenting Alfred Hitchcock films (Hitchcocktober!) on Thursday evenings in October...

Tonight at 8! "The Birds."



And upcoming:

Oct. 8 — "Shadow of a Doubt"

Oct. 15 — "North by Northwest"

Oct. 22 — "Marnie"

Oct. 29 — "Rear Window"

You can buy advance tix online here.

Subway (sandwich shop) closes on 3rd Avenue and NYU

The Subway location at 41 Third Ave. in the base of NYU's Alumni Hall between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street remains closed for now.

The sign on the door notes that they will be closed for a renovation, presumably…



The interior has been stripped clean.



If this is permanent (and it looks like it), then this will mark the fifth Subway sandwich shop to close in the East Village in the past three years, joining the one on the Bowery … East 14th Street … First Avenue … Second Avenue…

Owners of the Cock head straight to State Liquor Authority for Lit Lounge space

In August, CB3's SLA committee voted against Allan Mannarelli's application to move the Cock from its current Second Avenue home several blocks north to the former Lit Lounge space.

Afterwards, according to a report by Lisha Arino at DNAinfo, Mannarelli said that he planned to appeal directly to the State Liquor Authority (SLA).

He has kept his word: The application will be heard this morning in front of the SLA (PDF here)...



Residents who were opposed to the move to 93 Second Ave. between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street said that the block was already oversaturated with bars, with 61 licensed operators in the immediate vicinity, among other reasons.

Meanwhile, signs appeared on the Lit door later in August noting that the bar/club would reopen on Sept. 11 after a "deep clean vacation." It didn't open that weekend. However, Lit was up and running this past Friday and Saturday night…

lit opens back up tomorrow

Posted by Lit Lounge on Thursday, September 24, 2015

Lit first closed at the end of July after 13 years. There was talk of a relocation to Brooklyn, but those plans have yet to materialize.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Confirmed: Lit Lounge is closing on 2nd Avenue

New, confusing signs up at the former Lit Lounge space

Asbestos removal underway at Peter Brant's incoming gallery space on East 6th Street

[Photo by EVG reader Paul]

There has been activity this week at 421 E. Sixth St., where workers continue to convert the building into an exhibition space for Peter Brant.

The signs on the front door point to asbestos removal in the weeks/months ahead...



As previously reported, the building between Avenue A and First Avenue is intended to be a gallery space to display Brant's personal art collection. The intention is to have approximately two shows per year, with the first one scheduled for Fall 2016.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Here's what Peter Brant wants to do with his new exhibition space on East 6th Street

Reader report: 421 E. 6th St. will house Peter M. Brant's personal art collection

Peter Brant's East 6th Street Outreach Tour 2015 continues

Peter Brant meets the neighbors

East Village home prices are up by 38% since 2004

Just checking out an interactive map via PropertyShark, which shows how home prices in NYC neighborhoods have changed in the past decade.

Average prices (adjusted for inflation) for condos, co-ops, and single- and two-family homes in the East Village have increased 38 percent — from $1,026 per square foot to $1,416 between 2004 and 2014. On the Bowery, prices climbed 62 percent, from $844 per square foot to $1,365.

These prices have nothing on Williamsburg, which shot up from $275 to $1,015 per square foot between 2004 and 2014 — good for a 269 percent increase, according to PropertyShark's data.