The dangers of the mayor's office trying to be cool

From our friends at Neighborhoodr.... and, uh, as they point out, the Ramones made their debut 36 years ago...

And there's something Bloombergy about Mr. Burns...

"I just want folks to know that the whole neighborhood is going to crap"

Quite a piece by Shefali Kulkarni in Runnin' Scared about the soon-to-close Village Fabrics.

Here's a chunk of it:

In June, Pamac Realty filed suit against Kurban Ali Kokan, the store's owner, after Kokan did not pay $27,400 in back rent. The Kokan family claimed that the store had water damage that was never properly repaired. The suit ended on August 9, when a judge ruled that Kokan must pay the back rent with interest and vacate the building. Pamac's attorney created a stipulation that reduced the amount to $20,000.

But that's still too much money, says Kokan's wife, Cemile, who is currently working at the store with their son Sadik. (The Kokan's rent was $4,400 each month for the last five years, during which business slowed down, her husband fell ill, and medical bills needed to be paid.)

Then Pamac Realty posted a For Rent sign above the storefront. "He came one day and he said 'pay or ship out' -- those were his words," Cemile says. "I'm not blaming him, but some of things he does are unfair. He's not a bad landlord, but he's fed up with me too. I guess 18 to 20 years doesn't count."

Cemile, 65, wipes tears from her eyes as she sells a few yards of brown vinyl to a customer. "I'm sorry," she says. "It's just that there's been no peace in my house for a while," she tells the customer. "We are getting older now, my husband is 80. We still have a mortgage to pay. What are we going to do after this?"

"I just want folks to know that the whole neighborhood is going to crap," Sadik, 33, says. "I mean [my parents] are senior citizens, you know? We're just tired of being honest and loyal, when apparent greed is all that matters. This just shows you what is happening to our community now."

Pasquale Coppolechia, the president of Pamac Realty, says that the tenants were never a problem, when they were paying the rent. He says the Kokans were at least eight months behind in rent and that after their 10-year lease expired, they went on a one-year lease and eventually a month-to-month one. "We offered an installment plan as well," he says. "I know they were going through some 'apparent' difficulties and that they were clearly struggling, but even these negotiations just took up time."

Coppolechia says that there are already businesses interested in the First Avenue location. "We've been collecting several requests from the broker, pardon my French, but they were like flies on shit."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Closing sale at Village Fabrics

Village Fabrics to close next month

Long live Gizmo

Given what's happening the next block up on First Avenue with Village Fabrics... here's an appreciation for Gizmo Notion...a seemingly rare breed these days around here...

Appreciating two newsstands before they are Cemusaed

These days, whenever I see a newsstand that hasn't yet been Cemusaed, I'll take a photo... such as these two down in the Financial District...




For further reading:
Two old-school newsstands that are still holding on (EVG)

Union Sq. Newsstand (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

Hey Is Dee Dee Home?

Near 315 Bowery.

Flashback August 1996: A two-week tribute for Merlin

I wanted to follow-up on the Merlin's Memorial post from yesterday...



Bob Arihood, who took the shot above, documented the scene on Avenue A and Sixth Street on Neither More Nor Less after Merlin passed away on Aug. 16, 1996...



As Bob wrote:

A wake and vigil of considerable moment, lasting for the better part of 2 weeks , was held in the neighborhood at Merlin's corner . Some nights the sidewalk and street around the memorial were so densely packed with people that it seemed that everyone in the neighborhood and the surrounding communities was attending , crowded together ,all kinds of folks , from all professions and callings , from high and low paying their respects to Merlin .

Here's Merlin on his corner as many people here remember him...



Jeremiah also writes about Merlin today, asking the following: "Could such a memorial happen for a homeless man in the East Village today?"

Another corner prepping for change on First Avenue

159 First Ave. at 10th Street recently went on the market. Here's the listing:

Existing 6 Story mixed use asset with 4 commercial spaces on the main floor and 30 one and two bedroom units. Corner, Walkup apartment building, 100% occupied. 25 Free Market Units, 4 Rent Stabilized Units, one super occupied. 6 homes per floor: 4 One Bedrooms/ 2 Two Bedrooms with a total of 24 One Bedroom Homes and 12 Two Bedroom Homes. High traffic location. Prime East Village. Air rights

.

The current asking price is $12.75 million. Aside from the "air rights" part, there's nothing necessarily alarming about this... But, given the way things are going around here, why not come in, fix up the joint, double the rent, throw a few extra floors on, boot out all the ground-floor businesses for a high-end eatery.... OK, OK.. don't mean to speculate.... but the combination of this with its corner mate on Ninth Street currently looking for a restaurant or two leaves me uneasy...


[Photo by Blue Glass]

On Avenue A, a flower replaces armpit-sniffing photo of Mariah Carey

FINALLY! Since I can remember, Luster Photo on Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's has had this stupid photo of Mariah Carey in the window. The one in which she's sort of sniffing the armpit and showing off the hair extensions. Why do they have this photo in the window? What does she have to do with the East Village? This is just embarrassing. Back when the store was on Avenue B near 10th Street, they at least had a Lou Reed photo in the window. (Nothing against Luster... it's just that photo!)



But! No more! The store has changed the photo in the front window.




For now, we will savor this moment....

An ode to the truck bomb

As noted yesterday, Cheap Shots — in an effort to be less youth friendly — has done away with the truck bomb (you know, shot in a pitcher of beer)....

And now, in loving memory of wolfing down truck bombs at Cheap Shots, let's travel to YouTube...









Previously on EV Grieve:
Cheap Shots — sans truck bombs and graffiti — gets the OK for a license renewal

Former Western Union now delivering tacos

Workers have been refurbishing the former Western Union location here on First Avenue near 10th Street....



...per the sign in the window, a taqueria is opening here...

EV Grieve Eatery Etc: Plants for 325 Bowery; cherries for Cherry Tavern; Latin for Italian place

Bello's, the Italian place on St. Mark's near Avenue A...



...is ready to debut a new menu.... (and their entire menu of soon-to-be-leftover Italian fare is now 30 percent off...)



The new diner coming to Bowery and Second Street shows off its new plants....




East Village Thai on Seventh Street near Cooper Union is closed for renovations...



...and, based on the sign, it doesn't seem to be reopening anytime soon...



On Sixth Street near Avenue A... the always-reliable Cherry Tavern...


[Photo by Konstantin Sergeyev via New York]

...now has some cherries outside... (and, uh, I can't say for sure when this happened....)




The Film Academy Cafe on Astor Place East wants you to eat wine...



The new restaurant coming to Second Avenue and Second Street has some fancy lights embedded in the sidewalk...



And if you're a fan of Il Bagatto on Second Street near Avenue B, they're closed per usual this time of year until after Labor Day....



The former dry cleaners here on 11th Street near Second Avenue...



...has moved into the former Plump Dumpling space next door... Plump Dumpling moved to the corner at Second Avenue in December, of course...


[Thanks to Blue Glass for this tip]

Dumpster diving on 10th Street

Blue Glass took these shots from earlier today... the fellows seemed pleased with what they were finding in the dumpster on 10th Street near Second Avenue.....