Gia signage arrives on the Bowery

Signage is up now for Gia Trattoria here at 334 Bowery between Great Jones and Bond. 

Gia's Instagram account describes it as a "rustic and fun Italian restaurant." No word on an opening date. (As you can see on the storefront pic above, they are still hiring for all positions.) You can sign up for updates on the Gia website.

Not sure who's behind the new venture at the moment. Coincidentally, there was a restaurant called Gia Trattoria at this address for a brief time in 2015. 

Actually, there were a lot of places here for a brief time between November 2014 and June 2015 ...  this is when the storefront was divided into two spaces, and Forcella, Espoleta, Gia Trattoria, Slice of Naples, SRO and Bowery Pizza came and went over a six-month period. 

Most recently this space was Gino Sorbillo, the first U.S. pizzeria from "the Neapolitan celebrity super-chef" of the same name. The "temporarily closed for renovation" sign arrived here in early January ... after a November 2017 opening. 

Marinara Pizza makes this corner of 10th Street and 2nd Avenue their own

As first reported on May 13, Marinara Pizza is opening on the northeast corner of Second Avenue at 10th Street.

This past Friday, workers decked out the red exterior in white Marinara signage and awnings.

This will be the fifth outpost for Marinara, which has locations on the UES, UWS, Midtown East and Park Avenue South. 

An EVG reader told us that their most popular slice is the MVP, which features stripes of marinara sauce, vodka sauce and pesto on a square pie (the pic is from the Marinara social media) ...

Two hyped pizza joints have been at this address (160 Second Ave.) in recent years. Lions & Tigers & Squares — the Detroit-style pizzeria from the Artichoke team — debuted in October 2019 before closing during the pandemic last summer. And before this, Nicoletta spent six-plus years in business here until the end of 2018.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Cafe Centosette closes on Second Avenue

New alt.coffee concept vying for former Meatball Shop space on Stanton

East Village resident Nick Bodor recently told us about his plans to revive several of his former businesses under one roof, including alt.coffee (1995-2007 on Avenue A) and Cake Shop (2005-2016 on Ludlow Street).

It looks like he has found a potential new home for the business that will include an all-day cafe service, small bar, several weekly live music performances (ending by 10 p.m.) and a t-shirt emporium. 

Bodor is applying for a liquor license for alt.cafe at 84 Stanton St. between Allen and Orchard — the former Meatball Shop, which shut down in February 2020.

He's on this month's CB3-SLA committee docket for the address. (The meeting is on June 14.) You can find the questionnaire online here. 

Read more about his plans at this link.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• The owner of alt.coffee and Cake Shop is looking to start a new cafe concept 

Monday's parting shots

On this Memorial Day, a Christmas purge ... as seen on 10th Street and Second Avenue by William Klayer (above) ... and Derek Berg...

6 posts from May

A mini month in review... (with a wisteria flashback to May 1 on Stuyvesant Street)...

• Honoring the memories of Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón on 2nd Avenue (May 27) 

• Woman dies after falling from Avenue A rooftop; Rivera demands review of building enforcement procedures (May 23) 

• St. Mark’s Comics is reopening this summer (in Brooklyn) (May 20) 

• The remains of the Gem Spa can now be found in homes (and a barn) across the U.S. (May 18) 

• This East Village Easter footage from 1966 includes a crucifixion in Tompkins Square Park (May 14) 

• Cinema Paradiso looks to bring foreign and independent films to Avenue A (May 10)

Tompkins Square Library hosting an online discussion with Grant Shaffer

East Village-based artist and illustrator Grant Shaffer, who contributes the NY See panel to EVG, is the guest tomorrow (Tuesday, June 1) evening during an online discussion with Tompkins Square Library manager Corinne Neary. 

Per the invite, Grant "will show and talk to us about his work. He will discuss his process and inspirations, including the work he has created inspired by life in NYC during the COVID pandemic." 

Grant's illustrations have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times and Interview. 

The discussion is from 6-7 p.m. Sign up at this link. 

And coming up on Saturday: Longtime East Village resident Sarah Schulman will discuss her upcoming book "Let the Record Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993." Details here.

Food Emporium has closed on Union Square

An EVG reader reports that the Food Emporium on Union Square East has officially closed... we're told Saturday was the last day...

The salmon fillet deal was still being advertised even though the deli department had been packed up days earlier...

As we first reported back in March, this 14th Street location was to close on May 30, according to a WARN notice filed on Feb. 25 with the New York State Department of Labor. 

The WARN filing says that the Food Emporium lease is expiring. The closure will impact 50 employees, per the notice. 

In February 2020, Lois Weiss at the Post reported that Target signed a lease for the 32,579 square feet here in the base of the Zeckendorf Towers. At the time, the Food Emporium was said to stay here through the end of April 2023. Perhaps now Target will push forward their opening date.

And we'll walk off with a passage from Rachel Sugar's March 11 essay at Grub Street titled "New York Grocery Stores Are Uniquely Weird. That’s Why They’re Important" ...

In itself, the Union Square Food Emporium was not special. It was — and is! (until May 30) — what one might call "serviceable," which is to say that it does indeed sell groceries and has two stars on Yelp. But it is emblematic of its kind. It is, like Key Food and Foodtown and C-Town and Gristedes and Associated and Bravo and D’Agostino, a quintessential New York City chain. Are these stores largely mediocre? Of course, but they are distinctly mediocre. And while there are recognizable differences between them, such as quality and ownership and location, spiritually, they are the all same.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• The Union Square Food Emporium looks to be closing at the end of May

Monday's opening shot

Several readers have asked about the hot ball of glowing gases in the sky as seen here from Houston at First Avenue... if this helps...

🤔

Week in Grieview

Posts from this past week included (with a random sky pic from Tompkins Square Park) ... 

• Elected officials call for more rooftop oversight; details emerge about woman who fell from 202 Avenue A (Tuesday) 

• Honoring the memories of Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón on 2nd Avenue (Thursday) 

• Volunteer help wanted for the new Loisaida CommUnity Fridge and Pantry (Monday) 

• Opinion: Against Upzoning (Wednesday) 

• Report: One of Amelia and Christo's 2021 offspring has died (Thursday) 

• Gas service is restored at Pangea after 7 months (Wednesday) 

• The owner of alt.coffee and Cake Shop is looking to start a new cafe concept (Tuesday) 

• A follow-up to the fire on Bleecker Street late Friday night (Monday) 

• March gallery debuts on Avenue A (Friday) 

• How expensive are the flowers here? (Friday) 

• An organic grocery for the Bowery (Monday) 

• Marufuku Ramen next up for 92 2nd Ave. (Tuesday) 

• 7th Street Burger for 7th Street (Tuesday) 

• Sidney's Five in soft-open mode on 1st Avenue (Monday)

... and in case the skies miraculously clear by this evening...

Happy Manhattanhenge! It's TONIGHT- don't miss it!!#exit9 #exit9giftemporium #shoplocal #eastvillage #brooklyn #manhattanhenge pic.twitter.com/TbG05IuciY

— Exit9 Gift Emporium (@ShopExit9) May 30, 2021

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Spring into Pride extended through June at 3rd & B’Zaar on 3rd Street

Today was set to be the last day for Spring Into Pride over at 3rd & B’Zaar, the mixed-vendor market and event space at 191 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

However! Based on the feedback this past month, the organizers have decided to extend Spring Into Pride through June (June 28 to be exact). 

There will be a few new vendors joining the more than 30 local designers, vintage sellers and artists.

Spring into Pride is open from 1-6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

3rd & B’Zaar debuted late last year with a month-long Holiday Market ... followed by Sex, Love & Vintage in February.... with several art shows in between. 

Today is the last day for Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen before summer break

Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen on Seventh Street will close after today for its customary summer break. (They broke tradition and stayed open last June, July and August.)

The basement cafe, which generates income for the St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church on Seventh Street, is open today from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for takeout. 

Stock up your freezer!

Streecha is at 33 E. Seventh St. between Second Avenue and Cooper Square. Look for their return in late August.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A visit to the Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen on 7th Street

Top photo from 2018 by Stacie Joy!

Today's concert at the East River Park Amphitheater has been postponed

Today's wind and rain has forced the cancellation of the free concert this afternoon at the East River Park Amphitheater. Organizers will be announcing a rain date soon.