Noted

Workers are setting up for a sidewalk extravaganza outside the just-opened Target store on 14th Street and Avenue A... which includes a replica CBGB storefront — called TRGT...





A few readers have already chimed in about this via email (one with a subject line LOL) ... early, unscientific consensus is that this storefront homage is wholly unnecessary.

Updated noon:

Pinch shared this photo of the sidewalk event — complete with wrapping reminiscent of tenement buildings — on 14th Street here at EVGB — the "East Village's Greatest Building" ...



Updated 2:30 p.m.

Brooklyn Vegan paid a visit to the faux storefronts ... erected just for today as part of the Target's official grand opening.

Most notably, this includes an homage to CBGB, with “TRGT” in the old Bowery punk venue’s classic font (with “BANDS” in smaller font right below it), and display windows sporting TRGT t-shirts, “rock on” foam hands, and poster that said “The Resistance.” You couldn’t actually buy that stuff from the stand but, wink wink, they did have “bands” in the form of free boxes Band-Aids and exercise bands with the Target logo on them. Right next to the TRGT was a little stage with a “Battle of the Bands” banner and an oversized novelty Target bass guitar for selfie-ing. I did not enquire about the bathrooms.

Updated 8 p.m.

EVG reder Lola Sáenz shared these photos from the afternoon grand-opening event...





Updated 9 p.m.

Jeremiah Moss has a post on this at Vanishing New York... describing it as "the most deplorable commodification of local neighborhood culture I’ve ever witnessed."

Updated 7/25:

Target issues an apology.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New 7-floor buildings for East 14th Street include 150 residential units

Target offers details about its flexible-format store opening summer 2018 on 14th and A

The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street

Happy National Moon Day

In honor of National Moon Day today... a photo of the moon the other night via EVG contributor Grant Shaffer...

The age of the Internet

The Internet's new album, Hive Mind, is out today... here's the audio track for a summery song called "La Di Da."

EVG Etc.: City Council approves Airbnb bill; baby hawks meet the tailless mockingbird

[Tompkins Square Park the other morning]

Police release video of suspect who took 81-year-old woman's purse in an apartment robbery on 13th Street and Second Avenue (CBS 2)

NYCHA failed to report more than half of the cases of elevated blood lead levels in its buildings over a yearlong period, as required by the feds (The Post)

City Council unanimously approves Airbnb bill sponsored by City Council member Carlina Rivera (The Lo-Down)

The MTA needs $9 billion to replace and update subway fleet (Curbed)

Keeping up with the red-tailed fledglings in Tompkins Square Park ... and they've already been dive-bombed by the dastardly tailless mockingbird (Laura Goggin Photography)

A Henri Cartier-Bresson film retrospect starts tonight ahead of the International Center of Photography’s upcoming exhibition, "Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Decisive Moment" (Anthology Film Archives)

Check out the GVSHP's expanding historic image archive, featuring plentiful photos of the East Village (Off the Grid)

The record stores of NYC in the 1970s and 80s (Flaming Pablum)

The last Peter Stuyvesant descendant (Ephemeral New York)

... and as a reminder tonight — there's a free screening of "The Jungle Book" on the Dry Dock Playground, 10th Street at Avenue D...

City removing the Trump-related 'Business As Usual' sculpture from 10th and B

A city worker this morning was attempting to remove the sculpture that arrived on 10th Street at Avenue B back on July 3.

EVG reader Alexa shared these photos...





The sculpture figure, titled "Business As Usual," is carrying a presidential briefcase...


[Photo by Vinny & O from July 4]

This (coincidentally?) marks the second piece of Trump-related art that the city has removed in the past 24 hours from East Village streets/sidewalks.

Last call Sunday for Dorian Gray Tap & Grill on 4th Street

After eight-plus years on Fourth Street, Dorian Gray Tap & Grill is closing this weekend here between Avenue A and Avenue B. Last call is Sunday night.

Owner Peter Cavanagh, said to be the the great-grandnephew of Oscar Wilde, shared the news last night on Facebook, noting: "Well my trusted band of savage warriors! It is with sad heart I have to close the doors of Dorian Gray."

However, the bar, which served Irish pub fare and offered viewings of soccer and rugby matches, won't be empty for long.

Applicants for a venture called the Cabin were on a recent CB3 docket for a new liquor license here. According to their questionnaire (PDF here) on the CB3 website, the Cabin will serve "American tapas" with hours of 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday-Thursday; until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

EVG regular Pinch, who shared this closure news, said the Dorian Gray "served a proper sized pint — not one of these short pints most bars go with these days."

City sets record for filling pothole; removes Donald Trump mosaic on 2nd Street

Chicago-based artist Jim Bachor filled several NYC potholes with mosaic art this past week... including one of President Trump on Second Street between Avenue A and First Avenue, as we noted Wednesday.

When asked about the work, DOT officials weren't amused, and vowed to pave over the mosaics, the Post reported on Wednesday.

And yesterday, the city made good on that promise, removing the work on Second Street...



The speed at which the city responded took Bachor by surprised. He posted on Twitter: "Damn that was fast."

One Twitter user noted that this pothole, adjacent to a fire hydrant, likely never would have been filled by the city otherwise.

And...

Really, @NYC_DOT? You have nothing better to do?

Bureaucratic spitefulness at its finest.https://t.co/48ss3kLKFz

— Lloyd Bergenson (@dieterknickbock) July 20, 2018

East Village Thai will be staying in the family

East Village Thai, a local favorite these past 20 years over on Seventh Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square, closed after service on Sunday.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy spotted the family in the restaurant yesterday and stopped in to thank them for their years of service in the neighborhood.

Turns out that the daughter of the owners is taking over the lease, and opening her own Thai noodle shop here in the months ahead.

Report: A new owner for the retail condo space at 13 1st Ave.

The Real Deal reports that Queens-based investor Athena Vrettos is the new owner of the retail condominiums at 13 First Ave. at First Street.

Premier Equities reportedly sold this retail property along with one in Tribeca (271 Church St.) for $20.1 million.

No word on how this might impact the three current retail tenants in this space — Boilermaker, Juicy Lucy and the Lazy Llama coffee shop.

This deal was only for the retail space... the condos in this building include the penthouse unit with the Cape Cod-style cottage on its rooftop. That was sold last fall for $3.5 million.


[Image via Streeteasy]

Noted

ConEd is beginning work on gas upgrades on Seventh Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... as this photo via EVG reader Paul W. shows, someone added commentary in the section under What to Expect...



"Occassional [sic] explosions."