Full reveal at El Churro on Houston and Allen

Workers yesterday removed the plywood from 200 Allen St., that thin strip of a storefront on the SE corner of Houston. 

As we've noted (here and here), a cafe called El Churro (presumably selling churros!) is in the works here...

Still no sign of a website or any social media accounts.

Updated 6 p.m.: The owner tells EVG contributor Stacie Joy that they hope to open at the end of the month. He's brought in churros machines from Spain and plans to offer different flavors (like chocolate), plus soft serve.

Eastanbul Gyro Kebab and Smyrna Bakery closed here last fall. Empire Gyro, with a 24/7 schedule, opened here in February 2019 ... with the conversion to Eastanbul (and Smyrna) in the summer of 2020. The space was previously Sugar Cafe for 10 years. 

And because someone will mention it! Economy Foam (later, & Futon) anchored the corner from 1937 to 2003.

Giving Tuesday: the return of twice-a-week alternate side parking

Starting today (Tuesday!), the city's full alternate-side parking rules return after a two-year pandemic hiatus. 

As Gothamist reported, for these past two years, drivers only needed to move their cars once for street cleaning, "rather than the two designated days typically required in many neighborhoods." 

Also per Gothamist: 

The reversal comes as Mayor Eric Adams attempts to address frequent complaints about trash and dirty streets, and an increase in the rat population. Kickstarting the program also fully restores a reliable revenue generator for the city. Most available statistics from the city comptroller’s office show the city generated $515 million in annual revenue from parking fines in Fiscal Year 2016, a steady increase compared to prior years. A parking ticket for ignoring ASP rules can cost $65. 

Speaking of revenue, EVG regular Spike shared this photo today from a lovely tree-lined East Village street... showing consecutive parked cars with new tickets on the windshields. 

HAGS sets July 20 opening date on 1st Avenue

HAGS, described as a restaurant "for Queers and everyone else," is opening on July 20.

The owners, chef Telly Justice and sommelier Camille Lindsley (partners in business and life), made the announcement on Instagram last week... and the first round of reservations for the tiny space at 163 First Ave. between 10th Street and 11th Street went live on Friday.

For now, HAGS, an acronym for Have A Good Summer, offers several options for tasting menus (vegan AND omnivore). And on Sundays, HAGS will offer a "pay what you can" menu (no reservations on Sundays — first come, first served).

In addition to some quality food and drink, the HAGS website states: "we serve radical luxury, unapologetic joy, community and optimistic change."

You can follow the HAGS Instagram account for updates. 

Our previous post has a roundup of some of the positive press HAGS has received this year.

Thanks to Steven for the photo.

Openings: A'more Caffè on 2nd Street at Avenue A

Photos by Stacie Joy 

A'more Caffè is now open at 150 E. Second St. on the NE corner of Avenue A. (Arrival first reported here.)

The small shop with a handful of seats offers a variety of hot and iced coffees and teas ... (signage says they use organic Arabica beans roasted in Long Island City...) 

For now, A'more Caffè is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. You can follow them on Instagram at this link.

Thrift NYC sets up shop on 14th Street

The city's second outpost of Thrift NYC opened in late June at 226 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

You can find a curated mix of vintage clothing for men and women, with prices in the $10 to $40 range.

The shop is open Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to  7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

You can follow Thrift NYC, which also has an Upper East Side store, on Instagram here.

The Ainsworth closes East Village location

That's all for the Ainsworth on the SW corner of Third Avenue and 11th Street. (Thanks to Steven for the photos.) 

The upscale sports bar, part of a mini chain, closed after service on Sunday.

Per the door signage, they'll be merging with the Chelsea outpost later this summer...

The EV Ainsworth opened in December 2017. 

Previously, this corner space was home to Village Pourhouse, the pub-crawling hosting hotspot ... for 11 years. 

And all together now — bring back the Roll-n-Roaster!

Puff & Puff Convenience debuts on Avenue C

The neighborhood's latest smoke shop is at 153 Avenue C... where Puff & Puff Convenience is now up and smoking running here between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

P&P takes the space over from F&M Slice Pizza, which shuttered in March 2021 after 10 years of budget slices.

4.5 years later: A tenant for the former Noho Star space on Bleecker and Lafayette

There's finally a retail tenant for 330 Lafayette on the SW corner of Bleecker ... the storefront has been vacant since the end of 2017.

Slowear, the Italian clothing and accessories brand, opened its second NYC location here last week. 

Per the Slowear Instagram account: "The store hosts the latest generation technologies, the finest selection of garments and accessories for the men's wardrobe and a cosmetic area."

Noho Star, the low-key restaurant that attracted a few bold-faced names (Wallace Shawn! Lauren Hutton!), closed in this space on New Year's Eve 2017 after 32 years in business.

Slowear isn't the only luxury line to replace a neighborhood spot on the block. Bleecker Street Bar wasn't offered a lease extension after 30 years at Bleecker and Crosby. The bar closed in August 2020, though they will return around the corner on Broadway this fall.

In its place...  the New York flagship store for Sabah opened back in the spring and offers high-end leather Turkish slippers and other accessories... 

Monday's parting shot

Thanks to the reader for the rooftop shot tonight (July 4!) ...

Flashback Friday: 'Touchez Pas Au Grisbi' in Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Daniel Efram

This past Friday night, the 2022 Films on the Green series came to Tompkins Square Park with a free screening of "Touchez Pas Au Grisbi,"  a 1954 French-Italian crime drama starring Jean Gabin, Jeanne Moreau and Lino Ventura.

EVG regular Daniel Efram shared a few images from this welcome summer-in-the-city event, where "a delicate breeze pierced the humidity," he wrote. 

This was the only Tompkins screening this time around... but upcoming nearby...

• July 8, Seward Park  "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress" by Dai Sijie (2002) 

• July 15, Seward Park  "The Class" by Laurent Cantet (2008) 

Find the whole schedule here.  

Monday's opening shot

Dueling baby car seats await you this morning at the Avenue A-St. Mark's Place entrance to Tompkins Square Park... photo by Steven...

[Updating] Report of a gas explosion at La Mia Pizza on 4th Avenue

One person reportedly sustained a minor injury following a gas explosion this afternoon at La Mia Pizza, 124 Fourth Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street.

The FDNY responded to the call at 3:22...

Manhattan All Hands Box 0464, 124 4 AVE, EMERGENCY

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) July 3, 2022

... and issued the "under control" 22 minutes later.

Manhattan All Hands Box 0464, 124 4 AVE, COMMERCIAL, , Under Control

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) July 3, 2022

The front windows of the restaurant, which opened here in September 2020, were blown out during the explosion. It wasn't immediately known who was injured — an employee, patron or passerby. 

Will update when more information becomes available.

Updated 6:05 p.m. 

Here's part of ABC 7's report: 

First responders detected gas and called ConEd who dispatched a crew to help search for the source inside the 20-floor building. As they were searching an explosion happened in the kitchen of the restaurant while FDNY and ConEd employees were inside. 

The explosion didn't cause a fire and was contained to the kitchen, according to the FDNY. 

One ConEd employee sustained minor injuries but refused transportation to the hospital. 

Thank you to the EVG reader for the top photo.