August Laura is opening in the former Sidewalk space on Avenue A and 6th Street

The new owners of the restaurant space at 94 Avenue A — the former Sidewalk — are close to opening here at Sixth Street.

As previously reported, hospitality vets Laura Saniuk-Heinig and Alyssa Sartor are behind the new venture, which we learned will be a revival of sorts for August Laura, an Italian cafe-cocktail bar that opened in Carroll Gardens in the spring of 2016.

Sartor and Frankie Rodriguez, a former Death & Co. general manager, were partners in that now-closed venture. (It was reportedly named after Sartor’s grandfather, who was raised in Carroll Gardens.)

As for what to expect here starting next week (Oct. 9 is the projected opening date), Saniuk-Heinig said August Laura "will have 'East Village Vibes' as opposed to the Italian-inspired Carroll Gardens location." She promised to share more information soon, including whether they will continue on with an open-mic night, a long-standing feature at Sidewalk. (The EV August Laura is listed in part as a "live music venue" on Facebook.)

She did confirm that the two motorcycle murals on the Sixth Street side, created nearly 25 years ago by the artist WK, will remain up. There's also a new mural in progress further east on the building via @EarlyRiser.

The Sidewalk closed back in February after 32-plus years in business. Pini Milstein, who retired, was the former principal owner of the building as well as the operator of the Sidewalk. The building sold for $9.6 million in March.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The building housing the former Sidewalk sells on Avenue A

New owners set to take over the 33-year-old Sidewalk Bar & Restaurant on Avenue A

1-floor expansion planned for Avenue A building that housed the Sidewalk

Not much left inside the once mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

[Photo by Steven]

The gutting of 84 Second Ave. continues.

Per previous posts, No. 84 here between Fourth Street and Fifth Street is in the midst of a gut renovation that will take the building from its current 5,829 square feet to 8,439 total square feet with a horizontal enlargement in the rear of the property. The modified No. 84 will feature new retail space as well as four residences.

EVG contributor Derek Berg got a look behind the plywood the other day. As you can see, the ground level is hollowed out, with construction equipment moving through the building to the back...





This property has changed hands twice in recent years. Highpoint bought the building for $7.8 million in the spring of 2018. According to public records, the building sold in May 2016 for $5.1 million. The Sopolsky family had owned it for years.

As we've noted several times through the years, the address has a dark past, which includes the still-unsolved murder of Helen Sopolsky, proprietor of the family's tailor shop who was found bludgeoned to death in 1974, per an article at the time.

The storefront has remained empty since her death.

The plywood rendering shows the all-new No. 84 looking something like this...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Plywood and a petition at 84 2nd Ave.

Workers clearing out the mysterious 84 2nd Ave. storefront

Renovations proposed for mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

Mysterious 84 2nd Ave. sells again, this time for $7.8 million

There are new plans to expand the mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

Renovations underway at the (formerly) mysterious 84 2nd Ave.

A rendering and vintage erotic playing cards (NSFW) at the under-renovation (and mysterious!) 84 2nd Ave.

Longer hours now for Foxface on St. Mark's Place

[Photo by Stacie Joy]

You now have more hours in the day in which to try Foxface, the small sandwich operation inside the William Barnacle Tavern at Theatre 80 that East Village residents Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat opened late last year.

The owners announced extended hours for Foxface, 80 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue, starting today. So moving forward: Wednesday through Friday, noon to 3 p.m., then 5:30-9:30 p.m. ... and noon to 9 p.m. (or when they sell out!) on Saturday and Sunday.

Visit this link to see the daily sandwich specials and to order ahead. They've seen an uptick in business since Pete Wells at the Times filed a favorable review of Foxface in late August.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Longtime East Village residents open Foxface, now serving sandwiches at Theater 80

Hitchcocktober is back

It's Hitchcocktober again at the City Cinemas Village East on Second Avenue at 12th Street.



On Thursday evenings throughout October, the theater is showing an Alfred Hitchcock classic, culminating with a Halloween-night screening of "Psycho."

Here's the schedule until then...

• "Dial M for Murder" in 3D — Oct. 3

• "North by Northwest" — Oct. 10

• "The Birds" — Oct. 17

• "The Lady Vanishes" — Oct. 24

• "Psycho" — Oct. 31

Find advance ticket info at this link. The films start at 7:30 p.m.

Elsewhere nearby: the flagship Dean & Deluca is closed for now on Broadway and Prince

From outside the usual EVG coverage zone over at Broadway and Prince... EVG reader Robert Miner shared this photo from yesterday. The flagship location (circa 1988) of Dean & Deluca is now temporarily closed.

There have been reports of empty shelves here in recent months (see Gothamist and Eater).

Per Eater on Aug. 20:

Despite its dreary appearance, floor manager Mohammed Rahman says the store isn’t closing but rather undergoing renovations. Several signs that read “Please pardon our appearance as we prepare for renovations” are now strung about the store, located at 560 Broadway at Prince Street. Rahman says he hasn’t been told much about the renovations or when they’re supposed to start.

There isn't any mention of a renovation on the above-sign for patrons — just some "deep regret" about the temporary closing.

As you've been reading in recent months, Dean & Deluca, the iconic gourmet grocer, is on the brink of financial collapse. Complete collapse may be imminent. As of now, only two locations — both in Honolulu — are listed on the Dean & Deluca website.

Tuesday's parting shots

Late-night/early-morning views of 10th Street and Avenue B via Shawn Chittle...

Just desserts

There's probably a good reason why there's a discarded figure made from cupcakes, cookies, brownies and doughnuts on 10th Street near Second Avenue this afternoon.

Photo by Lola Saénz ...

Re-covering Cover Magazine at the Tompkins Square Library

Starting today, the Tompkins Square Library branch will have an exhibit featuring Cover Magazine, the East Village-based national publication that covered the arts from 1987 to 2000.

Per the Library's website:

The magazine’s slogan was "We Cover All the Arts" and the monthly featured art, music, literature, dance, fashion, performance, and theater in every issue. Later issues also contained stories about the community garden struggles.

Most of the staff and production team was recruited by publisher and editor Jeffrey Cyphers Wright, from his literary and artistic contacts in the East Village. The 64-page monthly journal circulated nationally until 2000, and the complete set of Cover issues are archived at NYU Fales Library and at MoMA.

Local heroes were touted, often before receiving mainstream attention. Penny Arcade, Colette, Eileen Myles, and Afrika Bambaataa were all part of featured cover stories. The magazine often broke new talent: for instance, the iconoclastic fine artist Andres Serrano received his first cover story in Cover.

The opening reception is tonight (Oct. 1) from 6-8 p.m. There are several other related programs in the weeks ahead.

The exhibit will be up at the Library, 331 E. 10th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B, until Nov. 30.

After a late-summer hiatus, Tuesday Soup Night is back on at Ciao for Now

The soup is back on at Ciao for Now on Tuesday evenings at 523 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B following a late summer hiatus.

Here's what to expect tonight (Oct. 1) ...



The family-owned cafe shut down its dining room after 17 years at the end of January 2018. However, ownership was continuing on with the catering business ... and in March 2018, they announced a Tuesday evening dinner service with a variety of soups and salads.

Ciao for Now is open Tuesdays from 5 to 9 p.m.

The 29th annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade is scheduled for Oct. 20 in East River Park

[Photo yesterday by Edmund John Dunn]

This year's Halloween dog parade is once again scheduled for the East River Park Amphitheater. The year's date: Sunday, Oct. 20 from noon to 3 p.m.

Meanwhile, Parade organizers are hopeful that the Parks Department might waive their sponsorship fees. At this point, the Parade does not have a sponsor. Update: The Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group has agreed to sponsor the event. (The Parks Department apparently rejected an Amazon sponsorship because the company wanted to distribute Halloween-related items in the Park. Parks officials were said to cite a lack of resources to make this happen.)

Parade organizers are currently holding a fundraiser via Facebook to cover the additional $6,500-$11,000 in fees from the city as well as to to raise money for ongoing upkeep of the dog run. You can find the fundraiser info on Facebook.

The 28th annual dog parade almost didn't happen last year. You can read about what happened at this link.

Given the city's plans for stormproofing East River Park starting in March 2020, this will likely be the last time the amphitheater can host the parade in the years ahead.