Closing time: 1 month remains for Dress Shoppe II

Photo by Derek Berg

The closing sale sign went up late this afternoon at Dress Shoppe II at 83 2nd Ave between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.

As previously reported, the Indian boutique’s last day is Jan. 31. 

Saroj Goyal has been doing her best to keep the shop going since her husband of 50 years, Purushottam Goyal, died in September 2019. There have been financial challenges, and thanks to the efforts of Humans of New York and New York Nico, there was an outpouring of support to help Saroj make arrangements on the back rent and to take care of herself as she underwent treatment for breast cancer.

In the previous post, you can read more about the closing and the financial arrangements with the landlord, the Cooper Square Mutual Housing Association II.

You can find the Dress Shoppe II Etsy account here. The shop is open from noon to 8 p.m. daily, with 1-6 p.m. hours on Sunday.

Signs of life at East Village Social

Updated 12/30: EVS is back open, as Eden reports!

We noted the other day that East Village Social (EVS) has not been open since early November. A reader notes the signs of life here this evening...

The bar-restaurant is NOT open at the moment. But! Per the reader: "That's the beauty of it. It's not open. But they're telling us that they're alive. It's a signal from…somewhere."

In the comments, another reader commented that there is a gas issue in the building at 126 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue that may be to blame for this temp closure.

The EVS Instagram account posted a video on Christmas Eve featuring EVS and the Saint Mark's Saints doing a covering "Fairytale of New York" from inside the space... with a see you in 2022 message. 

Citi Bike docking stations arrive on 5th Street, 7th Street

As a follow-up to our post yesterday... a reader shares that workers have installed the new Citi Bike docking stations on Fifth Street at Avenue A (48 docks) and Seventh Street west of Avenue B (47 docks) ...

According to a DOT presentation last month, "demand shows 1,804 docks [are] still needed in CB3." For now, though, the proposal calls for an installation of 683 docks ... with more capacity coming by extending existing stations.

The presentation showed 11 new stations, with an "equipment swap" on 10th Street between A and B and an expansion of the existing station on 13th Street at Avenue A. This EVG post has a map of where the docking stations are due.

Let us know if you spot any other new docking stations in the neighborhood. 

A Visit to Made Up There Farms

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

I’m carrying an EpiPen to visit beekeeper Idan Cohen on East Third Street near Second Avenue. I’m hoping the bees won’t be able to tell I’m allergic. However, it’s all worth it to see the hives, bees and honey Idan tends on the rooftop of his building. 

After some “getting to know you time” with the bees and rooftop garden, I head downstairs to watch Idan’s wife and kids sell the fall 2021 harvested honey to passersby and neighbors and learn more from the apiarist about the process of local honey-making.

How did you come to tend bees on the rooftop of your building?

I love cooking. It’s a passion that always leads me in search of local and fresh produce. That search brought me to build a rooftop farm on our building in the East Village eight years ago, producing most of the vegetables and herbs we consume in the summer. 

A natural addition to the farm was beehives. I wanted to not only produce honey but also have my daughters learn about bees and how to care for them. Nothing would make me happier than to watch them gardening and beekeeping as adults. 

What’s the beekeeping process like? How did you start, and how is this season’s harvest going? 

The season starts in the spring when temperatures rise over 60 degrees, and the bees become more active. A lot of our work as beekeepers has to do with making sure the bees are happy and thriving and free of disease. That requires opening the hive every two weeks and making sure the queen is laying eggs, the workers are producing honey, and that the bees are pest and disease-free. If you help them stay healthy, they will do the rest. 

You, your wife and your kids sell the honey on Third Street near Second Avenue from time to time. Aside from that, where can neighbors go to purchase the honey? 

My daughters, Ellie (age 7) and Eve (4), wanted to share the honey with our neighborhood, so they decided to open a farmstand on sunny days and call it Made Up There Farms. 

For those who missed us, you can reach out through my Instagram account or through my wine and cider project at wipwines.com, and we can set up a pickup. 

Any expansion plans? 

We plan to add a third hive next spring and make natural mead — honey wine. I like the idea of drinking a hyperlocal wine made in the East Village from East Village flowers.

Happy 10th anniversary to Tompkins Square Bagels

Tompkins Square Bagels is celebrating its 10th anniversary late this month at 165 Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street. 

The shop had its soft opening here on Dec. 16, 2011. (The outpost at 184 Second Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street debuted in November 2016.)

Congratulations to owner Christopher Pugliese and the staff at both locations.

It hasn't been easy these past two years. In November 2020, ConEd shut off the gas at the Avenue A location. (Service returned on Dec. 31.) At the time, a carbon monoxide sensor went off related to the storefront's hot water heater, and workers discovered a hole in the flue that brings in replacement air. 

Because of the hole, replacement air wasn't getting into the basement, thus the high carbon monoxide reading, Pugliese said at the time. However, despite identifying the problem and quickly repairing it, ConEd shut off the gas to the business.

To keep the shop running, Pugliese, who helped feed unhoused residents and essential front-line workers during the pandemic's worst days in the spring of 2020, spent $7,000 to buy three electric grills and have three 220-volt power lines installed so his team could cook. 

You can read more about how TSB overcame all this here.

Tuesday's parting shot

Weather-proofing work continues at the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church on Second Avenue at Seventh Street... photo today by Derek Berg...

That's a wrap on the first round of the holidays

As seen on Second Street ... and as a reminder, please use clear, untinted bags for your recyclables. 

Thanks to the reader for this pic!

New Citi Bike docking stations on the way in this week

Looks like the Citi Bike expansion in the East Village is happening sooner than later. 

A few No Parking notices have gone up on several side streets where new docking stations are arriving... we've seen announcements for today and tomorrow on Seventh Street west of Avenue B (thanks, Dave on 7th!) as well as on Fifth Street at Avenue A (thanks JG!) for tomorrow and Thursday ...

In November, DOT reps gave Community Board 3's Transportation, Public Safety, & Environment Committee an update about Citi Bike's expansion in the East Village and Lower East Side. 

That presentation is online now right here. (The DOT made presentations to other Community Boards, and find those via this link.)

According to the presentation, "demand shows 1,804 docks [are] still needed in CB3." For now, though, the proposal calls for an installation of 683 docks ... with more capacity coming by extending existing stations.

The presentation showed 11 new stations, with an "equipment swap" on 10th Street between A and B and an expansion of the existing station on 13th Street at Avenue A. At the moment, we don't know how many of the 11 new stations will be installed this week.

Openings on 14th Street: Mad for Chicken, The Tree Shop NYC

Mad for Chicken is now open at 230 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (Thanks to Steven for the shot and to Nick Solares and Pinch for sending photos as well.)

MFC, which got its starts in Flushing in 2005, serves "soy garlic fried chicken and unique Korean inspired dishes," per its website. You can find a menu here.

The expanding company now has 10 NYC locations and four in Texas. 

The address was previously home to the Nugget Spot, which closed after a seven-year nugs run during the pandemic. 

---

Meanwhile, The Tree Shop NYC recently opened at 313 E. 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, selling vape products, smoke accessories, snacks, etc., etc., etc.

The Tree Shop takes over the storefront with ample signage opportunities from the optical shop Eyes on 14... (H/T Pinch here too)...

'Very Expensive' Flordel Florist is leaving 3rd Street for new LES home

Flordel Florist is leaving its small retail space at 226 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C for a new, larger storefront at 78 Clinton St. ... yesterday marked the last day here... (thanks to Stacie Joy for the photos!) ...

According to an Instagram post from the florist, the new space between Rivington and Delancey is three times larger than its current outpost. The grand opening is expected early in January.

In May, ownership changed the signage out front from "Florist Flowers" to the tongue-in-cheek "Very Expensive Flowers." 

Updated:

The temp signage up now on Clinton Street...

ICYMI: Zero Irving signs up first tenant

An announcement from earlier this month... Melio, a "B2B payments platform for small businesses," is the first tenant for Zero Irving (formerly the Union Square Tech Training Center, 14 @ Irving and tech hub) on 14th Street. 

According to various published reports and a news release, Melio leased 25,000 square feet of office space across the 15th and 16th floors for use as its global HQ. The company, said to be valued at $4 billion, is relocating here from a WeWorks property on West 18th Street.

The building, developed jointly by the city's Economic Development Corp. and RAL Development Services, will feature 14 floors of market-rate office space as well as "a technology training center and incubator, co-working spaces and state-of-the-art event space ... on the seven floors beneath," per the Zero Irving website. Urbanspace will operate a food hall on the ground level.

Long contested by local preservationists and community groups, the new building sits on the former site of a P.C. Richard & Son on city-owned property.

Previously

Monday's opening shot

Thanks for EVG reader Tina Li for this shot of the spectacular sunrise this morning... as seen from East River Park (the sectiion that's still open to the public) ...