Today in pretty cool looking broken lamps on 2nd Avenue

Photo by Derek Berg...

The Honey Fitz in the works for St. Mark's Place and Avenue A

There are ambitious plans in the works to convert and combine the former Hop Devil Grill space on St. Mark's Place with the temporarily closed Nino's Pizza next door on Avenue A, according to public documents (PDF) on the CB3 website.



A team led by James Morrissey (The Late Late on East Houston) and Gerard McNamee (Webster Hall) are proposing an operation called The Honey Fitz that would offer quick-serve breakfast as well as lunch and dinner ... in addition to a bar with "upscale craft cocktails." During the week, The Honey Fitz would offer free Wi-Fi and printers for "all local creative entrepreneurs."




[Screenshots via the CB3 website]

According to the paperwork filed ahead of this month's CB3-SLA meeting on Feb. 16, The Honey Fitz is named for the yacht owned by the Kennedys.

The configuration shows two bars in the conjoined spaces ... with seating for up to 90 people. The proposal includes a plan for a sidewalk cafe with 5-7 tables for two along St. Mark's Place.


[Click to go big]

As mentioned, the plan calls for the conversion of longtime tenant Nino's pizzeria, which has been anchoring the corner of Avenue A and St. Mark's Place.

Nino's had to close on Oct. 21 due to a gas leak in the building, according to a sign on the door. On Nov. 17, the pizzeria was hit with an eviction notice. Owner Nino Camaj has said that the gas was shut off in the building without any notice to him.

In late November, Camaj's lawyers were reportedly in discussion with landlord Citi Urban Management to dispute the rent charged for the month during which they had to close due to the gas leak. As we understand it, Camaj still has a lease on the space, and is currently in court over the matter.

You can read the comprehensive questionnaire for The Honey Fitz at the CB3 website. (Here.) The questionnaire includes several letters of no objection from nearby neighbors who said they would welcome this concept to the block.

The SLA committee meeting is Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the CB3 office, 59 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

A for rent sign at the former Sounds space on St. Mark's Place

As you know, Sounds closed in October at 20 St. Mark's Place after 36 years selling records, tapes and CDs. The second-floor retail space had been on the market since February 2014.

We never saw any for rent signs on the space... until now...



We didn't spot the listing at the Halstead site just yet. There is a listing, which was first posted in February 2014, for the space at LoopNet ... it was updated this past Jan. 21. The asking rent is $22,000...



There was a rumor that the former Sounds was going to be fitted for an Indian restaurant. (That seems like a really expensive proposition to convert/vent this landmarked space for a restaurant...)

The historic building between Third Avenue and Second Avenue was recently sold to Klosed Properties. The building's lone business tenant, the Grassroots Tavern, has a lease for the next five years... with an option after that for renewal.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The last record store on St. Mark's Place is closing

So long Sounds

RIP Brian Fair, owner of Sounds

20 St. Mark's Place, home of the Grassroots Tavern, has been sold

Boglioli brings its Italian tailoring to 10 Bond Street

And over at 10 Bond Street (Curbed recently asked if this was the prettiest new building in New York), the coming-soon signage is up for the first commercial tenant... a retail outlet for Boglioli, which is known for the light hand it applies to traditional Italian tailoring (I cut-and-paste that)...



This looks to be the fashion brand's first dedicated U.S. outpost... joining Milan, Seoul and Tokyo.

Anyway, what were you expecting to open here at the corner of Lafayette, where the $12.5 million penthouse sold in less than two weeks, a Dollar-Plus store? (Though that idea isn't too farfetched.)

Updated

Via Racked, we learned that the first U.S. outlet of activewear line Yogasmoga is also opening here at 10 Bond.

Week in Grieview

[Photo Wednesday p.m. via the EVG Instagram]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

An 83rd birthday celebration for Ray at Ray's Candy Store (Monday)

1983 to 2016: An East Village blizzard then and now photo essay (Friday)

Douglas Steiner's church-replacing condos emerge from the pit; plus new renderings (Wednesday)

Empire Biscuit is taking a sabbatical for the month of February; will retool for the apocalypse (Monday)

Out and About with Niall Grant, owner of the Tuck Shop (Wednesday)

The Alchemist's Kitchen takes over the short-lived NatureEs space on East First Street (Monday)

With CleaNYC, Mayor de Blasio declares war on litter, graffiti (Wednesday)

Northern Spy closes for good on Feb. 17 (Thursday)

Police looking for suspect in a string of area armed robberies (Monday)

NY Village Deli reopens in new First Avenue home (Tuesday)

Blythe Anne’s (the former Lula’s Sweet Apothecary) has closed on East Sixth Street (Tuesday)

Rumors: 348 Bowery will house new food market (Monday)

Ninth Ward closes for good on Feb. 14 (Thursday)

Updated: Ballaro has closed on Second Avenue (Friday)

An incentive to spend some time on East Ninth Street this month (Friday)

Cafecito has closed on Avenue C (Monday)

Take a look at the inside of Ben Shaoul's condos at 100 Avenue A (Thursday)

332 E. Sixth St. is for sale — air rights too (Thursday)

The Subway (sandwich shop) has closed on Fourth Avenue and East 12th Street (Tuesday)

The Marshal seizes Tut on East Third Street (Monday)

The former Poppy's Gourmet Corner is for rent (Wednesday)

If you are looking for Smoke & Beer on Avenue A, then this store is for you (Tuesday)

Bago hasn't been open recently on First Avenue (Tuesday)

A look at the residences coming to Thirteen East + West on East 13th Street (Wednesday)

The Baker's Pizza signage is up on Avenue A (Monday)

Mumbles has closed on Third Avenue (Wednesday)

NYPD makes real arrest while 'Law & Order' is filming nearby on Avenue A (Tuesday)

...and as a reminder, please do not recycle your holiday trees on a bicycle...


[Photo on East 7th Street by Derek Berg]

[Updated] These are likely the last days for St. Mark's Bookshop

This past Thursday, St. Mark's Bookshop launched a cash-only, 50-percent-off-everything (except cards and consignment books) sale.

You're correct in thinking that's likely not a good sign for the rent-challenged store's future. For starters, the clerks have been telling customers that they'll only be around for "a few more days."

And Bedford + Bowery spoke with the shop's lawyer, James West, who said that the bookstore was served with a Marshal's Notice about a week ago. They reportedly owe $62,000 in back rent to the landlord, the New York City Housing Authority. And there's more.

Per B+B:

“The people they owe money to are, among others, the State – there are some taxes due – but there are some other creditors, one of them was a book distributor. That was the pressure point.”

“The State doesn’t usually play games,” West added. “That was pretty much it.”

According to New York’s Department of State, a warrant was issued on January 21, 2016 for a $34,408.76 tax lien. The only way out of a tax warrant is to pay the bill in full or file for bankruptcy. Then, as Contant explained, as a result of losing a legal dispute with the book wholesaler Baker & Taylor (which boasts the title of “world’s largest distributor of books and entertainment”) a U.S. Marshal Auction has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 10.

Still, the shop, which has been in several locations since 1977, seems to find a way to hold on. Last Wednesday, The Awl had a post titled "The Mystery Money Keeping St. Mark's Bookshop Alive." There are apparently several investors, including longtime East Village resident (since 1959) and building owner Charles FitzGerald and a man named Rafay Khalid, "who covered the bookstore’s $22,000 down payment on its lease with NYCHA," per The Awl.

What Khalid and FitzGerald propose, and what they hope the city will agree to, is a new lease, with a new company — under a new name, Khalid said repeatedly — that will pay a higher rent than it is currently paying. In return, it will forgive the back rent. FitzGerald, any investors, and a management committee will direct how to allocate any funds raised, including whatever is left of the $200,000 Khalid said he’s already raised. “I think of this as a startup,” Khalid said. “St. Mark’s 2.0.”

Meanwhile, there's the 50-percent-off sale. The store is getting picked over, as you'd expect ... last night, I noticed one copy each of Richard Hell's "Massive Pissed Love," Romy Ashby's "Stink" and Kim Gordon's "Girl in a Band," to name a few titles that I have an interest in ... and there were several copies left of the latest Maximum Rocknroll and Mojo "Punk Anniversary Special" with a CD of "15 pre-punk nuggets" (Hawkwind!)...


[Photo from last night]

St. Mark's Bookshop is at 136 E. Third St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. They are open today (Sunday) from noon to 10 p.m.; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays.

Updated 2/8

Here's more via Publishers Weekly:

Jim West, a lawyer with his own firm who has been providing pro bono legal assistance to St. Mark's, explained that New York City would probably prefer not to see the execution sale happen. The reason, West explained, is because the cost of the auction would likely be higher than the money it will bring in.

If the execution sale does not happen, West said St. Mark's could stay open until March 9, which is the date of the next hearing about the back rent.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: St. Mark's Bookshop prepping fundraiser ahead of possible move to Avenue A.

Is this the new home for the St. Mark's Bookshop?

Report: St. Mark's Bookshop signs lease for East 3rd Street space

Renovations at the future St. Mark's Bookshop on East 3rd Street

St. Mark's Bookshop seeking buyers with an ownership interest

Report: Last stand for St. Mark's Bookshop

Report: Latest woe for St. Mark's Bookshop — possible eviction

Just picking up some breakfast before heading out to LaGuardia

Cooper Square and St. Mark's Place this morning... (and there aren't actually any docking stations at LaGuardia. Closest you'll get is 21st Street and 41st Avenue in Long Island City...)

Another smoke shop for Avenue A

Several readers have told us that a smoke shop is opening in the former D-Lish Pita space on Avenue A at East Sixth Street... we haven't been by when anyone has been working on the space... though the gate is partially open, revealing some of the items that will be for sale...





The store is next door to 99¢ Pizza, which opened in late December. As for smoke shops on Avenue A, Smoke & Beer opened between East 13th Street and East 14th Street earlier this month.

Anyway, it's nice that some new retail shops are opening ahead of the residential developments going up ... like this one... and this one.. and this one ... and this one.. and this one.

Pumpin' it up

Well, with Iggy Pop in the news of late with his Josh Homme collaboration... I went back to 1981 to dust this off from Iggy's sixth solo album, Party ("A bizarre train wreck of an album...") This is "Pumpin' for Jill."

An incentive to spend some time on East 9th Street this month

Several of the merchants on East Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue are having a block-wide sale this month.

Here's info that we received: "From now until Feb 29, come and take advantage of some great bargains. Each participating merchant will have their own take on the 9.99% off sale theme. Shop the block, score some fab deals, meet the neighbors, and even better, support small, local businesses."




[Images via Clayworks Pottery]

H/T EVG contributor Steven