Last week to see work by Al Diaz and SAMO© at the Same Old Gallery on Great Jones

The Same Old Gallery, curated by Adrian Wilson and Brian Shevlin, featuring an exhibit of old and new work by Al Diaz, ends its run at 57 Great Jones St. on Saturday evening.

Wilson was originally hopeful that he could use the space through the end of December.

As previously reported, the front part of No. 57 west of the Bowery had been sitting unused. The back of the building houses Bohemian, an exclusive (referral-only) Japanese restaurant. They will be expanding in January, and gave Wilson access to the space rent-free.

"Unfortunately, as the space was donated for free by the leaseholders, this was always going to be a temporary gallery," Wilson told me. "It was always guaranteed for Al's show, and I hoped they would then let me keep it open until they start renovation on January, but [the landlord] liked what we did so much they have rented the space for a Christmas market, selling gifts.

"It's kind of sad but also very perfect that the one and only exhibition there will be Al."


[Al Diaz and friends via Adrian Wilson]

Diaz, who grew up in the Jacob Riis Houses on Avenue D, started writing graffiti at age 12. As a teen in the late 1970s, he and Jean-Michel Basquiat collaborated on a series of cryptic messages seen around the city signed from SAMO©.

The gallery is inside the building once owned by Andy Warhol. Jean-Michel Basquiat lived and worked here at the time of his death in 1988.





The gallery hours are from 2-7 p.m. through Saturday.

Meanwhile, you can listen to my recent podcast with Diaz right here (or download it for later)...

The Coffee Shop closed on Union Square, and what it might mean for NYC's restaurant biz

[Via The Coffee Shop's Instagram account]

As you probably know, the Coffee Shop closed Sunday on Union Square after 28 years in business. (You can find photos from the last day at Gothamist.)

The rising cost of rent and wages were reportedly behind the closure.

Forbes had a piece back on Friday with Coffee Shop co-owner and president Charles Milite — who opened the space in 1990 with two other Wilhelmina models, Eric Petterson and Carolyn Benitez — that provides some perspective on the challenges of running a presumably successful restaurant here and now and in the future.

Milite told Forbes that rent had become “unusually high,” accounting for close to 27 percent of the restaurant’s gross revenues. Add in the scheduled $2-per-hour minimum wage hike set to take place on December 31 — an increase that, across Coffee Shop’s 150 employees and multiple dayparts of service, would have added $46,000 to the monthly payroll — made it impossible to break even by cutting costs elsewhere.

“It’s a wakeup call for our industry in general,” Milite said. “When a restaurant is one of the top-ranked restaurants in America, sales-wise, and can no longer afford to operate, you have to look at that and say there’s a shifting paradigm in the business.”

Milite predicts that this shift will lead to the gradual disappearance of 200- and 300-seat restaurants like Coffee Shop; in their places will come eateries with smaller, more focused menus and limited service. He’s already trying this with Flats Fix, a fast-casual taqueria right next to Coffee Shop on 16th Street.

A bank branch is rumored to be taking the space, Forbes reported.

Monday's parting shot

Early morning neon glow on East Houston...

St. Dymphna's is closing this weekend after 24 years on St. Mark's Place

A reliable EVG tipster said that St. Dymphna's, a neighborhood hangout at 118 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue, would close after service this Saturday, Oct. 20.

We did receive official confirmation on the closure. We reached out to the owners for more information on the decision to close St. Dymphna's, a favorite local spot known for its perfectly poured pints of Guinness and traditional Irish breakfast.

The pub, named for the patron saint of the mentally ill, opened in 1994.

The owners, Eric Baker and sisters Patricia and Raquel Sanguedo (Baker and Patricia Sanguedo are married), also opened Taberna 97 on St. Mark's Place in December 2016. That space is currently used for special events. (Patricia and Raquel also operate Noz Catering.)

In 2017, Conor Oberst had a song titled "Till St. Dymphna Kicks Us Out" on his Salutations album. The video was filmed at the bar... seems like a nice way to end this post...



Meanwhile, the St. Dymphna's Instagram account is now posting photos with #rememberingstdymphnas.

Black Emperor slated for 2nd Avenue

A group of applicants whose résumé includes bars and restaurants in the Bowery Hotel and Arlo NoMad Hotel are looking to open Black Emperor at 197 Second Ave.

The applicants, including David Massoni and John Bush, will appear before CB3's SLA committee tonight for a new liquor license for the former Schoolbred's space between 12th Street and 13th Street.

According to the detailed application at the CB3 website, Black Emperor would include nine table for 35 patrons as well as a 10-seat bar and a four-table sidewalk cafe. (Shoolbred's was also licensed to operate on the sidewalk.)

The food is described as "Asian fusion tapas," and here's a look a the menu via the application...



Black Emperor would open at 5 p.m., with a closing time of 2 a.m. Monday through Wednesday and 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. (And 1 a.m. Sunday.)

Massoni and Bush have opened several establishments via their Three Kings Restaurant Group, starting with Thistle Hill Tavern in Park Slope as well as the above-mentioned hotel spots. (East Village residents may know Bush from his days bartending at 2A and Niagara.)

Shoolbred's closed in June 2017 after nearly 10 years in business.

Tonight's SLA committee meeting takes place starting at 6:30 in the Public Hotel, 17th Floor, Sophia Room, 215 Chrystie St. between Houston and Stanton.

Merakia owners swap out the Wayside for Greekito on 12th Street

[Photo Saturday night by Christopher Pelham]

On 12th Street at Third Avenue, the Wayside has gone by the wayside... and the owners have turned the space into Greekito (Greek 'n'Roll), a cafe serving Greek tacos, beer and wine, and coffee...


[Photo Saturday by EVG reader Laura]

The sign notes that this is Greekito by Merakia... last fall, these owners opened Merakia: Greek MountainThief Spithouse + Steak on West 21st Street that Eater described as a "stone-cold-stunner of a space."

The Wayside, a coffee shop with a variety of pleasant cafe fare, opened in July 2013.

Full reveal at 287 E. Houston St. (aka 287/LES)

[Saturday]

Workers removed the scaffolding and construction netting from 287 E. Houston St. late last week... providing a full reveal of the 11-floor condoplex — called 287/LES — here between Clinton and Suffolk...


[Friday]

As previously reported, the 120-foot-tall luxury building features 27 residences ... with two to four units on each story, including two duplexes on the first and second floors and a penthouse duplex on the top two floors. The units start at $1.175 million.

Here's more about 287/LES via Corcoran:

287/LES is the most successful ground-up new development on Houston Street. An Italian-inspired presence resonates outside with an elegant façade comprised of blackened steel, black textured brick and oversized floor-to-ceiling windows.

Amenities include a part-time doorman complemented by virtual doorman technology, a full-time superintendent, a fitness center, bicycle storage, private storage for purchase, supplemental commercial-grade laundry room, and a landscaped common rooftop terrace with outdoor kitchen.

And the final product...


[AA Studio]

The lot here previously housed a tax-preparation business; a landscaping business also shared part of the property.


[Google Street View]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Quickly reaching the top of 287 E. Houston St.

11 stories of condos to join the growing East Houston residential corridor

[Updated] Lumos Kitchen now appears to be closed for good

As mentioned last Tuesday, Lumos Kitchen, 188 Second Ave. at 12th Street, hasn't been open in recent months. A sign on the door since early August notes a temporary closure and the words "gas meter."

On Saturday afternoon, EVG reader Harry Weiner spotted workers removing the contents of the restaurant, which is now mostly empty...



There is a Stop Work Order order for the address dating to late July for "gas work done without a permit" in the kitchen of the restaurant.

To date there isn't any mention of a closure on the Lumos website or social media properties.

The restaurant, serving a menu of French- and Chinese-influenced cuisine, opened in early April. An EVG reader who lives nearby estimates that Lumos has not been open since the end of July.

If this is permanent, then this marks the fourth restaurant — joining Hot Pot Central, DumplingGuo and Dumpling Go — to close here since March 2015.

Updated 10/19

The Marshal came calling yesterday.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Lumos Kitchen remains closed

Coffee probably for St. Mark's and 2nd Avenue, and the rent is still due at the former DF Mavens

EVG DF Mavens correspondent Steven continues to monitor the former DF Mavens space on Second Avenue at St. Mark's Place.

And in recent interior revelations ... we have the makings of coffee ...





The contractors here say they don't know who the new tenant is.

Meanwhile, as we've seen in recent years, another past-due rent notice arrived on the door late last week...





DF Mavens, the vegan ice cream shop, closed in January 2016 after opening in December 2014. (The coming soon signage arrived in October 2013.)

Before the Mavens, the prime corner space was the cafe Eastside Bakery (.net?). And there was Roastown Coffee before that. And how could we forget Pizzanini? Or the Gap?!

Another look at Village Square Pizza, coming soon to Avenue A

Here's a Day 2 look at the Village Square Pizza signage, which arrived back on Friday at 147 Avenue A between Ninth Street and 10th Street...



The pizzeria's Instagram account says this: "New gourmet pizza shop opening in the East Village."

So "gourmet" probably doesn't mean $1 pizza. We'll see soon enough.

Anyway, Village Square Pizza makes five places for slices on Avenue A: Muzzarella, Baker's, 99-cent Pizza and Two Boots. (There's a pizza place coming to 20 Avenue A as well.)

Eggoo, which sold Hong Kong egg waffles and ice cream sandwiches, was at No. 147 for a year. Before that we had La Lucha for six years.