Remembering Fred Bass at the Strand

Fred Bass, the 89-year-old co-owner of The Strand, died yesterday. The cause was congestive heart failure, according to multiple published reports.

There's a tribute to him outside the four-level store on Broadway at 12th Street, as these photos by EVG regular Daniel show...



Several outlets have published features on his legacy, including at The New York Review of Books ... and Quartz.

His daughter, Nancy Bass Wyden, will reportedly continue on with the ownership of the Strand.

A few snow scenes

EVG Bomb Cyclone Correspondent Derek Berg shared these photos of people out and about today... where some modes of transportation seem better than others...

1st look at the bomb cyclone

Well, my first look... from Seventh Street and Avenue A...

We'll continue to monitor the situation...



... and provide critical delivery updates...

It's no longer always Friday: TGI Friday's has closed on Union Square

The TGI Friday's at 34 Union Square East at 16th Street shut down at the end of the year... EVG regular Daniel shared these photos ...



This closure was a long time coming. The Commercial Observer reported in August 2014 that this location, which was just breaking even, would soon close.

Dennis Riese, the chairman of the board and CEO of The Riese Organization, reportedly bought this building for $15.3 million at the end of 2009. The TGI Friday's opened in June 2010.

Now it looks as if the whole building is for sale as a development site... curious to see what, if any, air rights might be available...



Didn't spot a listing for the property just yet.



Meanwhile, patrons yearning for TGI's Sesame Jack™ Chicken Strips or Jack Daniel's® Chicken Sandwich washed down with a Red Bull Passion Slush can find that fare at the six other remaining locations in the city.

RIP Fred Bass

It is with a heavy heart we share that Strand’s owner, Fred Bass, passed away early this morning at home surrounded by loved ones at the age of 89. We thank Fred for his passion and dedication, and our thoughts are with the Bass family. https://t.co/GZ3G6Lg3YB pic.twitter.com/w0U3AS1t9A

— Strand Book Store (@strandbookstore) January 3, 2018

In case you missed this news from yesterday.

Here's part of the obituary from the Times:

Mr. Bass was 13 when he began working at the Strand, founded by his father, Benjamin. At the time, it was one of nearly 50 such stores along Fourth Avenue.

Except for two years in the Army, he never left, until retiring in November 2017.

A year after taking over as manager of the store in 1956, he moved it from Fourth Avenue to its present location, on Broadway at 12th Street, where it occupied half the ground floor of what had been a clothing business. He set the Strand on a path of unstoppable expansion, taking over the entire first floor, then, in the 1970s, the top three floors, and adding an antiquarian department.

Bass bought the building on Broadway at 12th Street for $8.2 million in 1997. His daughter, Nancy Bass Wyden, now owns the business.

Haque Convenience Store is now the Beer & Smoke Shop on 1st Avenue

[Image via Yelp]

The Haque Convenience Store at 149 First Ave. just north of Ninth Street closed for renovations (per the sign on the door) on Dec. 22... not sure if there are new owners here... but there is a new name and signage... a reader shared this from last evening... please welcome the Beer & Smoke Shop...



This is NOT to be confused with the Smoke & Beer shop on Avenue A.

Wedneday's parting shot

EVG reader Matt Kay shared this photo ... showing an ice shelf potentially ready to break off from Fifth Street at Avenue A ...

Updated 10:30 a.m.

Several EVG readers said that they alerted the city to this frozen hydrant... and there's ice melt now on the scene (h/t skadonk!) ...

2nd Street freeze out

While not quite the extent of the World Famous Icicle Audi (see here) just yet, an apparent leaky pipe under part of Second Street is causing a frozen zone between Avenue B and Avenue C.

EVG reader Bill Buchen, who lives on the block, said that the leak/flood started on Dec 23. Residents on the block called 311. The NYPD came. ConEd came. The DEP came. Crews made repairs.

Per Bill: "It's still not fixed! Cars getting frozen in place. It's epic!"



Previously on EV Grieve:
Under watchful eye of TV news crews, the Icicle Audi is freed

RIP this tree

EVG reader Emily shared these photos of a tossed Christmas tree on Third Avenue at 13th Street with an RIP note...

Freed from
Unfortunate
Circumstances,
Kindly left the earth
Unforgettable tree

A bit of an FU...



Courtesy of Kira Sea...

Noted

Pre-bomb cyclone headgear spotted on Seventh Street and First Avenue today by Derek Berg...