Thursday, October 15, 2020

The Bronx Brewery makes it official on 2nd Avenue


Signage went up yesterday at 64 Second Ave. between Third Street and Fourth Street — the future home of a Bronx Brewery outpost.

We first reported on this back on March 12 a few days before the COVID-19 PAUSE. At the time, the Brewery was looking at a possible fall opening. Now we're told the opening status is TBD.

As this photo by Steven shows, the space has a ways to go... it will eventually house a pilot brewery and taphouse...


Reps for Bronx Brewery will (virtually) appear before CB3's SLA committee on Oct. 19 for a new liquor license for the address. (Questionnaire here.) 

No. 64's retail space has been vacant since NYC Velo moved next door to No. 66 in the spring of 2016.

Previously on EV Grieve:

Best Price Deli & Grocery is closing on 1st Avenue


The Best Price Deli & Grocery has started its store-closing sale here on the southeast corner of First Avenue at 12th Street... preparing to shut down at month's end...
We hear that the rent is $22,000, and business has been down in recent months.

Thanks to Lola Sáenz for the top photo ... and Vici Shaweddy for the night shot.

92 2nd Ave. vacant again as Sanpoutei Gyoza & Ramen won't be reopening


Sanpoutei Gyoza & Ramen apparently won't be reopening at 92 Second Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street. 

The restaurant, which just debuted on Jan. 23, has been closed since the PAUSE went into effect in mid-March. 

And now, a retail listing for the space has arrived on the market. (H/T Steven!) There's no word on the rent for what the broker describes as a "brand-new, multimillion-dollar, fully-constructed restaurant space."

A lot of time, money and effort went into the restaurant that was only able to be in service for less than three months. As we've pointed out, this launch was a long time in the making. In the fall of 2018, CB3 OK'd a beer-wine license  for the Sanpou Group, which operates 30 restaurants worldwide, including Sanpoutei Ramen, which started in Niigata, Japan, in 1967.

Kabin Bar & Lounge closed in March 2015 at this address. While there were a few potential suitors, the storefront remained empty until the build-out for Sanpoutei Gyoza & Ramen began in early 2019.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• The first sign of Japanese ramen shop Sanpoutei arrives at former Kabin space on 2nd Avenue

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Wednesday's parting shot


Claudi of Pinc Louds busking today outside the former Gem Spa on Second Avenue at St. Mark's Place... (and later at Tompkins Square Park without incident) ... she'll be performing near B-Side tomorrow from 5-7 p.m. along Avenue B between 12th Street and 13th Street to celebrate the release of a new video-single for "Spellbound."

Photo by Derek Berg 

In breaking news this afternoon: The Popeyes signage has arrived on 1st Avenue


The Popeyes sign is in here at 39 First Ave. between Second Street and Third Street... (and what font is that???) Steven took these photos of the sign hot off the truck...
The quick-serve chicken emporium is expected to open here on Saturday. You can check out our previous post for a look inside.

P.S.

I do not know what's going on next door with d.b.a., which has not reopened since the PAUSE.

Checking in on Cafe Himalaya


As we reported last week, someone broke into Cafe Himalaya at 78 First St. and stole the restaurant's cash register. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the other day and talked with owner Karma Dolma (top photo and on the right below) ... and met her family, who all work here at the 18-year-old Tibetan/Nepalese restaurant between Avenue A and First Avenue...


She and her husband Tashi (second from the left above) showed her the cash register that was stolen — it was found discarded a few blocks away, cash missing but all parts still working. The police returned the cash register to them and even found the key to it nearby ...
She wanted the residents of the East Village to know how much support they've received and how grateful they are during the pandemic, where at one point early on business was down by 90 percent.
Cafe Himalaya is open Tuesday-Sunday from 1-10 p.m. Find their website here. Or call: 212.358.0160.

Factory Tamal reopens today on 4th Street after a short break


After being closed for nearly a month (making a few people nervous), Factory Tamal reopens this morning at at 63 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and Cooper Square. 

EVG regular Lola Sáenz spotted owner Fernando Lopez inside the shop getting everything ready for serving his delicious tamales, egg sandwiches and panini.

They'd been busy at the lower Ludlow Street location ... as well as prepping an entry in the 14th annual Food Film Festival taking place in March. Lopez is featured in the short "Food of Love: Tamale Man," one of the festival's official selections.

The EV outpost of Factory Tamal opened in early February, and is an excellent inexpensive eats spot to consider. You can find their website and menu here

9 Avenue B is for rent for the first time in eons


Eons! You may have noticed the recent arrival of the for lease signs outside 9 Avenue B between Houston and Second Street.

No. 9 watchers think that this storefront hasn't been in use for retail in more than 30-plus years. It was an office/storage space for Michael Chang, the previous landlord, according to one source.

Here's how the space was looking on the inside yesterday, courtesy of Stacie Joy...
The new era coincides with the sale of the building this past summer. Centennial Properties — aka the new 9300 Realty owned by convicted felon Steve Croman — is now the landlord. (You can read about Croman's post-prison dealings here.)
The retail space at 9 Avenue B — 1,000 square feet — has a monthly ask of $7,495.

No. 11 next door, also now owned by Croman, has been home for 40-plus years to Raul's Barber Shop. More on them in another post.

At long last, a partial reveal at 619 E. 6th St.


Last week workers finally removed the scaffolding and construction netting from 619 E. Sixth St., where a 6-story residence has been in the works these past four-plus years here between Avenue B and Avenue C.

As a reminder of what's in the works via DXA Studio Architecture, the architects of record:
The facade is clad in a Danish handmade brick and includes a full width mural along a sidewall that links the building in character with its East Village neighbors where street art abounds. The five residential units, from a small studio up to a dramatic three bedroom with office and double height duplex on the top floors, incorporate a simple and timeless palette of materials throughout.
And...
We first heard about this project in January 2016. It has seemingly taken a long time to knock down the previous one-level structure on the property and get to this point. 

Residents on the block had previously expressed their annoyance by the roadway dividers and temporary walkway, which became a popular spot to use as a toilet. 

Zoku Sushi apparently gives up the ghost on St. Mark's Place


A for rent sign recently arrived outside 42 1/2 St. Mark's Place, which marks the end here of Zoku Sushi, a delivery-only service.

Just last fall Zoku was getting press for being among the trendsetters of so-called ghost kitchens, a way for restaurateurs to combat increasing rents and employee wages as well as fees charged by food-delivery apps.

Charlie Yi, founder and CEO of Zoku Sushi in the East Village, has tapped a team of Nobu-trained chefs to prepare top-quality sushi — and thrown them into a 500-square-foot kitchen that’s behind an unmarked door at 42 St. Mark’s Pl.

No, you can’t sit down and eat there, and no, you can’t even pick up your order there. Instead, a team of delivery guys employed by Zoku are circulating in and out to bring sackfuls of sashimi, nagiri and miso to your door.

“Since we don’t have a restaurant or service staff, we can deliver that value to our customer and spend money on top chefs,” Yi says.
There isn't any word of a closure on the Zoku website or social media properties, which haven't been updated since march 17.

This space between First Avenue and Second Avenue was previously 10Below Ice Cream.

Thanks to Steven for the photo!

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Tuesday's parting shot


A sign of fall on Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... thanks to Goggla for the photo today!

A look back at Saturday's Avenue B flea


On Saturday afternoon, residents and vendors alike showed up for the Avenue B Flea, featuring sidewalk sales and socially distant acoustic musicians between 10th Street and 14th Street.

It went well enough that a sequel is already in the works.

"It really brought a lot of business down to our friends on Avenue B," said organizer Lisa Lush. "I was told numerous times by locals — this is exactly what the community needs and it’s been a long time since they’ve seen something like it. That old-school EV vibe was back and the energy was electric."

EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these photos of shoppers and vendors...