An "Under Construction" banner went up on Friday at the fire-damaged Essex Card Shop at 47 Avenue A.
In an email, Saba Aslam, the daughter of owner Muhammad Aslam, told me they are finishing some interior demolition. The Aslam family has a meeting with the contractors in early April to better understand how long the reconstruction process will take.
The photos below, via Saba's sister Mehnaz, show the current state of the interior...
We also asked Saba about Jayant "Jay" Patel, the shop's longtime manager:
"Jay is safe and well. He is living with his family in New Jersey!"
Meanwhile, supporters of the business have helped it raise more than $90,000 in a GoFundMe campaign.
You can check out our previous posts on Essex Card Shop, located in the retail space of the Ageloff Towers between Third Street and Fourth Street, for more background on what has transpired to date.