And now, YOUR NEW RITE AID SIGNAGE ON 1ST AVENUE

After weeks of anticipation, the new Rite Aid signage/brandage has arrived at the outpost on First Avenue and Fifth Street. 

As you can see, gone are the blue and red chevron color blocks (sob!) with a new blue and green (Seattle Seahawks-esque) logo that includes a graphic of a mortar and pestle with an herbal sprig. 

This "integrated rebranding effort is part of Rite Aid’s RxEvolution strategy ... to transform the company into the leading whole health destination that treats mind, body and spirit," per a press release.

Sunday's opening shot

Along the Seventh Street side of Tompkins Square Park this morning...

Tokio7 reopens today

Tokio7, the consignment shop on Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue, reopens to the public today.

Since January, they had only been selling online and taking in-person appointments. 

Moving forward, they'll be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily... only five people inside at a time... and cash only at the moment.

The shop closed late this past August ... several months after someone looted the place. 

Tokio7, which sells second-hand designer and vintage clothing, shoes and accessories, debuted on the other side of Seventh Street in 1996 ... before moving to this location in 2010.

Follow them on Instagram for more info.

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And if you're on this block, you could swing by Enz's. Owner-designer Mariann Marlowe opened her rockabilly and retro clothes shop at 76 E. Seventh St. in December.  

Marlowe had previously operated the shop at 125 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place for 18 years after relocating from St. Mark's Place. (The store dates to the 1970s on Grove Street.)

Exploring Planet Taco

As previously reported, Planet Taco opened last Saturday on Second Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street.

Last evening, Eater critic Robert Sietsema shared his thoughts on the place... 

Excerpt!

The menu became bewildering in its length. There are 13 Mexican tacos, 3 tacos representing American cities, 4 national tacos, and 3 named after planets. As if that weren’t enough, 11 sauces are available in a rainbow of colors. Beyond that, there are soups, burritos, Mexican rice, grilled fruit, fajitas, fried calamari, avocado fries and regular fries, quesadillas, bowls, nachos, tres leches cake, and dessert tacos.

Ownership plans to whittle down the menu items as soon as they see what's moving. 

And?

I’m pleased to report the Mexican tacos are generally solid, and priced on par with the neighborhood at $3.75 to $6. Naturally, there’s birria. The corn tortilla has been dipped, the consomme deeply flavored, and the meat copious, though not as tender as it might be. Even with this slight defect, it’s the best birria taco in the East Village. 

However, the al pastor was better in the Mexican category, with a painstaking micro dice of fresh pineapple on top. The chorizo was actually made with intact sausage rather than the usual ground sausage, and it flung off a bit of heat; while the adobo chicken, coated with a lackadaisical red sauce, was a bit dry; it was the only one we wouldn’t gladly order again.

The quick-serve shop is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.  Find the menu here.

Photo on March 20 by Steven

March 26

Given yesterday's record-breaking temperatures for the date... perhaps someone thought it was time to discard their Christmas tree a mere three months from the big day. 

EVG reader 8E shared the above pic from last night on Astor Place and Broadway. 

In this era of disinformation, deep fakes and alternate trees, 8E did attempt to verify the date of the find, though could only secure a paper from March 25.

Friday's parting shot

Today marks the sixth anniversary of the deadly gas explosion on the northwest corner of Second Avenue at Seventh Street. 

Remembering the two men who died that day, March 26, 2015: 

• Nicholas Figueroa 

• Moises Locón 

• Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

The 'Sweet' hereafter

Japanese Breakfast (aka Michelle Zauner) released a single earlier this month... ahead of a new record out on June 4... the video, an homage to "The X-Files," is for "Be Sweet" ...

Pinc Louds to play Tompkins Square Park tomorrow (Saturday!) afternoon

Pinc Louds, favorites from the pandemic summer of 2020 in Tompkins Square Park, play their first show of the year here tomorrow from noon to 4 p.m. 

Lead singer Claudi played a solo set last Saturday in the Park ... where Steven took the top pic... and Stacie Joy the one below...

Previously on EV Grieve:

• An end-of-summer appreciation: Pinc Louds

This new map will immerse you in the neighborhood's Greek Revival style

Village Preservation has unveiled an impressive new interactive map celebrating the many examples of Greek Revival architecture in Greenwich Village, the East Village, NoHo and beyond (look for guest appearances from Staten Island, Brooklyn Heights and Chelsea).

The launch coincides this week with the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek War of Independence, which helped inspire Greek Revival architecture in America, where the young democracy looked to the world's first democracy and its struggle for independence as a template for architectural expression. 

Local entries that showcase the Greek Revival style include Colonnade Row on Lafayette Street, St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery and what's now the East Village's Sixth Street Community Synagogue (originally the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Matthew, pictured above). 

"You'll find many other familiar landmarks, as well as some obscure ones and surprises, as well as great Greek Revival buildings of these neighborhoods which have been lost over the years, and some of the original Ancient Greek models that inspired them," said Village Preservation Executive Director Andrew Berman in an email. "It's a great way to mark the anniversary of an event that took place over 5,000 miles away which nevertheless had such a profound effect right here at home and can still see today."

You can access the map and more history at this link.

More scaffolding — and now demolition — for this troubled Avenue C corner

An EVG reader shared these photos from yesterday at the southeast corner of Avenue C and Third Street:

"Activity at the corner again. At first, it sounded like they were finally taking down the sidewalk shed, but they're actually putting up additional barriers and appear to be readying for construction work of some kind."

As previously reported, residents have long complained about the drug activity on this corner. On Jan. 18, a 36-year-old man was shot and killed here. According to published reports, the man was shot multiple times around 8:40 p.m. Since then, the NYPD has parked a patrol car here.

The sidewalk bridge has helped give cover to any activity here... for the past eight-plus years. 

At one point, there were plans for this corner... with the filing of permits with the city in July 2005 for a new 6-floor residential building here. The city disapproved the plans in May 2006, and nothing more happened with the project.

However, the landlord filed a permit in the fall of 2017 with the DOB to "rebuild exterior walls; replace windows and sistering of floor joists to address" the various violations on file.

And now — several years after the initial repair work? According to newly issued work permits, there are plans to "partially demolish the building." In January, there was a permit — since withdrawn — to demolish the building's "second, third and roof floors." 

Public records list the landlord as Abraham Benelyahou of Fairfax Management Corp. In 2014, the Daily News referred to him as "Manhattan's worst landlord."

[Via Google in 2010]

Van Da to treat NYC's 'Warrior Women' to dinner on its 1st night back

Photo of Yen Ngo from November by Stacie Joy 

Van Da, the modern Vietnamese restaurant at 234 E. Fourth St., reopens April 1 here between Avenue A and Avenue B.

And on the opening night, owner Yen Ngo plans to honor the women who have helped "lift our city up and forward."

She explains in an Instagram post:

Throughout history, women have always carried communities forward, uplifting one another, providing life and nourishment in all forms (and hardly get the credit for it.) History repeats itself again throughout this pandemic, hearing so many stories about women who have lifted their communities and led the way through a worldwide crisis, offering hope and inspiration to those around them.

We've been mulling over ways to re-open in exactly 1 week on April 1st that honor what NYC has fought through and, at the same time, honor the women who have held the torch to lift our city up and forward.

On Thursday, April 1, we are dedicating our opening night to treat 75 of these heroic women and a companion to thank them for their courage, resilience, and leadership with a special fixed menu and wine pairing.

Please help us treat our local NY Warrior Women to an evening out by nominating them ... 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by VAN ĐA (@vandanyc)

The deadline to nominate someone is 8 p.m. on Monday. And you need to do it on Van Da's Instagram account.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• A visit to Van Da on 4th Street

2 break-ins on 7th Street

Late this past Saturday, someone broke into two neighboring businesses along Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

As EVG contributor Stacie Joy reports, the thief broke into Peter Jarema Funeral Home, where he trashed the office and made off with several iPads and laptops. 

As Danny Buzzetta, Jarema's owner/director, notes, they're not a cash business.

Meanwhile, at Ruffian Wine Bar, the thief took cash, electronic items and personal stuff, per partner/co-owner Patrick Cournot ...

Ruffian had released a montage on Instagram Stories of the suspect from surveillance footage ...

In more positive developments: Fawzy and Ola at B&H Dairy on Second Avenue reported on Instagram yesterday that the NYPD has arrested the thief who broke into and robbed the lunch counter (he took the entire register with its $500) this past November. 

Per their post: "He was caught due to fingerprints left in the restaurant. He's facing up to eight years in prison. Apparently, the same perp had robbed several other businesses in the neighborhood, one on St. Mark's and another on Avenue C."