The Marshal seizes the Lower East Side Coffee Shop on 14th Street

Ugh. A bad sign at the Lower East Side Coffee Shop on 14th Street just west of Avenue A ... there's a posted notice stating that the restaurant is now in the legal possession of the landlord. (Thank you to @goodnitesteve for the tip and photo.)

And as you can see, plywood now covers the windows and door. 

While the coffee shop is on the new side (2008), it had (if this is permanent) an old-school look and feel — especially with the neon. This photo is from Jan. 23...

However, business had been off during the pandemic... and the delivery and takeout orders (and extremely limited outdoor seating) ... wasn't apparently enough to stay in business.

Pandemic aside, it has been a tough slog for all the businesses on this corner. For nearly three years this side of 14th Street was an active construction zone for L-train repairs with a variety of trucks, drill rigs, pile drivers, compressors and generators. 

Several businesses were forced to shut down due to severely limited access to their storefronts. Outside the now-shuttered Dion and the Coffee Shop, customer access included only 28 inches of sidewalk space — not big enough for a wheelchair in spots.

The return of the anonymous, animal-loving snow shoveler of the East Village

Residents still digging out from Monday's blizzard are receiving an assist... and it's a familiar name for some of you — the anonymous, animal-loving snow shoveler.

You may recall this story from the snowy days of 2016... an anonymous individual who voluntarily shoveled out snowbound cars (see the links below) ... leaving behind a note explaining the act of kindness ... anyone who wanted to express his or her gratitude could donate to the shoveler's favorite cause — Mighty Mutts/Ollie's Place Animal Rescue. 

Here's more from the snow shoveler last evening via email:

I wanted to let people know that I've been shoveling out random cars again and it's too wet out to leave notes on cars.   

If someone wants to make it clear that they don't want their car shoveled out they can. If I've already shoveled someone's car and they are furious I can put the snow back. I am extremely careful and never touch the cars.

As in the past no one should feel any obligation for the service. It is something I enjoy doing and I'm getting some exercise but if they want to make a donation to Mighty Mutts/Ollie's Place Animal Rescue, go for it.  

Photo of a random shoveled-out parking space.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• There is an anonymous, animal-loving snow shoveler in the East Village

• More about the anonymous, animal-loving snow shoveler of the East Village

The latest single from Phony Express: 'Pickup On 11th Street (Richie's Guitar Shop Bop)'

Phony Express, the prolific and anonymous pandemic-era East Village band, has released a new single — "Pickup On 11th Street (Richie's Guitar Shop Bop)." 

Per the band in a statement to EVG: "Richie is a close friend of the band. He’s been quietly inspiring music in our neighborhood for more than 35 years."

Have a listen: 

   

Previously on EV Grieve: 

The debut of Phony Express, a local pandemic-era band who collaborates by phone

EVG Etc.: Weathering the storm with Amelia and Christo; Prepping for International Clash Day

 

• Man slashed on the L-train platform on 14th Street and First Avenue (The Post ... ABC 7)

• Cuomo nows says restaurant workers and cab drivers are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines (Gothamist ... the City) 

• Noreetuh on 1st Avenue launches a free weekly meal for unemployed restaurant workers (Instagram ... h/t Eater) 

• Testing out Big Stick Willy's, the delivery-only cheese stick business in the East Village (Grub Street) 

• Exploring the life and music of free jazz great William Parker (The Brooklyn Rail) 

• How did Amelia and Christo weather the storm on Monday? (Laura Goggin Photography) 

• City lags in clearing bike lanes of snow (Streetsblog) 

• International Clash Day 2021 is TOMORROW (KEXP) 

• What the Ramones played at their last-ever U.K. gig on Feb. 3, 1996 (Glide Magazine) 

Tree pic along Tompkins Square Park on 10th Street

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest NY See panel, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood and NYC ... 

C&B Cafe turns 6

A quick — and slightly belated! — happy 6th anniversary to C&B Cafe over at 178 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

Chef-owner Ali Sahin's A+ breakfast-lunch-coffee to-go shop opened in late January 2015. 

While it was certainly a challenging year for any local business (C&B's woes included a break-in), Sahin did have plenty to celebrate, including a successful crowdfunding campaign to purchase a new oven, a lease to extend the space into the vacant storefront next door and a headline-grabbing champagne assist as Biden won the presidency. 

Here's to the next six years... 

Photo from April by Stacie Joy

Space where Momofuku got its start is for rent on 1st Avenue

163 First Ave. just north of 10th Street is now on the rental market.

The space is notable to some local food aficionados for being where David Chang's Momofuku empire got is start .... first as the home of Noodle Bar (2004) before it moved a few storefronts away... later becoming Momofuku Ko for six years (2008-2014), which is now open in a larger space on Extra Place ... and then the first outpost of his Fuku fried chicken sandwich chain (2015-2018).

There was speculation that Chang would hold on to the space, as Eater noted after Fuku closed: 

The space, near and dear to Momofuku as the location that kicked off Chang’s empire, will continue to serve as an incubator — though what else the company has up its sleeves is TBD.

Not much info on the retail listing, except that the space is vented for cooking, though all uses are considered. 

Photo by Steven with assistance from EV Arrow

P.S.

Bring back Wraparama!

Snowplow collides with the Iggy's curbside space on Ludlow Street

We noted a few of the curbside dining spaces that were damaged during Monday's blizzard (a small number all things considered). 

While Mother Nature may have wreaked some havoc... at least one city employee was responsible for plowing into the curbside space outside Iggy's Keltic Lounge on Ludlow between Stanton and Rivington.

According to an Iggy's employee, "our barrier is a foot closer to the sidewalk than everyone else around us. We have reflectors and a giant construction barrel on the side where the cars come down the street."

Still. 

"This guy got close, backed up, and got closer. What the hell?" 

The curbside space, which the tavern was still using (though not Monday evening) is still standing, though slightly askew. 

The carpenter who built the structure this past summer will assess the damage tomorrow...

Wednesday's parting shot

Thanks to EVG reader Danny for this photo from Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue ...

3rd Street piano update

An EVG reader provided an update about that piano on Third Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue that appeared during Monday's blizzard... prompting a stranger to pay a visit and play a few songs... 

Anyway, as you can see, someone shoved the piano over. Or else it slipped. 

P.S. And who is going to comment, "This never would have happened if the Hells Angels still lived here!"

You could even say it glows

EVG reader Karen shared this from Tompkins Square Park last night... an igloo with mood lighting...

   

 The lighting was said to be done for staging purposes to help rent the space...

Former Snowdays space will yield a sushi counter on 10th Street

A restaurant called Omakase Sushi is in the works for 241 E. 10th St. just west of First Avenue... a public notice is on the front door as the proprietors will seek a beer-wine license before Community Board 3 this month...

The application posted on the CB3 website (PDF here, which includes a sample menu) shows that the sushi counter will (eventually) be open daily from noon to midnight. 

David Chen is listed as the proprietor. While he has not been licensed before within the confines of CB3, he does have experience running this type of business. (The questionnaire does not provide the names of previous restaurants.)

The virtual CB3-SLA meeting is Monday night at 6:30.

Snowdays, the dessert shop specializing in Asian-inspired shaved frozen cream (aka snow cream), closed late last summer, unable to continue in business during the pandemic. The shop, originally called Snowdays Shavery, opened here in August 2014. The space was previously a Kung Fu Tea location. 

Before this it was Vinyl Market, the electronic/DJ specialty shop. Anyway, don't recall that this space was ever licensed for alcohol before.

Pre-snow photos by Steven