Manitoba's files for Chapter 11 protection

The Wall Street Journal is reporting this afternoon that Manitoba's on Avenue B has sought Chapter 11 protection. Per the Journal:

Genco Importing Inc., which operates Manitoba’s in the East Village, on Thursday filed for bankruptcy protection in Manhattan looking for a little breathing room to tweak its operations and file a restructuring plan. But don’t fear, Manitoba’s fans — the company plans to keep operating during the case.

Such a plan would likely be funded by a capital infusion from current majority owner Steven Van Zandt, a founding member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band who also played a role on HBO’s “The Sopranos.”

Founder and minority owner Richard Manitoba, known from his punk rock days as Handsome Dick Manitoba, blamed the bar’s hard times on its 2008 citation for certificate occupancy violations. The bar made all changes by the following summer but ran up a $100,000 tab doing so.

[Updated] 2 cops cleared of East Village rape charges, convicted of misconduct

From The Wall Street Journal:

Two New York City police officers were acquitted of rape and other felony charges but convicted of official misconduct, a misdemeanor, following a trial in which they were accused of taking advantage of an intoxicated woman they had helped into her apartment.

After more than six days of deliberations, a jury found New York City Police Officers Kenneth Moreno, 43 years old, and Franklin Mata, 28, not guilty of rape, burglary and falsifying records. Mata was also acquitted of tampering with evidence.

An update from the Daily News:

The NYPD fired two Manhattan cops Thursday just hours after they were acquitted of raping a helpless East Village woman.

Officers Kenneth Moreno and Franklin Mata were given the boot because the jury convicted them of official misconduct for going back to the woman's apartment three times without telling their superiors.

"The guilty verdict reached today involved a violation of the officer's oath of office and merits immediate termination," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. "Both officers will be terminated today."

Both cops face up to two years in prison on the misdemeanor charges when they are sentenced June 28.

Kelly lowered the boom after a relieved Moreno branded the now 29-year-old accuser a liar.

"I thought she made the whole thing up," Moreno said moments after he and Mata were found not guilty of rape charges that could have sent them to jail for up to 25 years.

Gothamist is reporting that there will be a demonstration tomorrow against the acquittal outside the Manhattan Criminal Court building at 100 Centre Street from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

'No wonder the Bowery has become the flip-flop and Baby-stroller Mecca of the World'

From the EV Grieve inbox, a note from Billy Leroy at Billy's Antiques...

You know what pisses me off?

All these "neighborhood activist/artist types" who are mourning/protesting the demolishing of 35 Cooper Square, which is a horrible and sad event. But they also supported "The Festival of Bad Ideas," which was sponsored by Goldman Sachs.

No wonder the Bowery has become the flip-flop and Baby-stroller Mecca of the World.

It will be a joy when Billy's finally closes. I won't have to look at all these #$%@& Yuppies anymore.

Octavia's Porch closes after 6 months

The "Global Jewish" restaurant from "Top Chef" alum Nikki Cascone at 40 Avenue B barely lasted six months, and it was rocky from the start. Early on some residents questioned the name — which paid homage to the passageway in Rome's former Jewish ghetto.

Perhaps this is currently a jinxed spot... Chabela's and Russo's have been in and out of here in fairly quick succession in recent years.

Previously.

[Props to Dave on 7th for the photo]

Lower East Side artists now larger than life — on canvas

It's likely that you spotted a few workers carrying a large portrait of Clayton Patterson up the Bowery the other day...

Indeed, the portrait is the latest from Curt Hoppe, the legendary hyper-realist artist who is among those showing new work starting this Saturday at the Woodward Gallery on Eldridge Street.

Hoppe is currently working on a series of paintings of fellow Lower East Side artists. Here's Patterson posing with his portrait.

Curt also sent along his portrait of Arturo Vega ...

...and in progress.

Curt hopes to show this series together — likely 15 portraits in total ... we're looking forward to seeing these.

[Photos courtesy of Curt Hoppe]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Q-and-A with Curt Hoppe: Living on the Bowery, finding inspiration and shooting Mr. Softee

Bump on 10th and B sends kids to the hospital with bruises and bloody lips

Yesterday morning, 13 school kids were injured when a school bus reportedly went over a speed bump too fast, the FDNY told DNAinfo.

The students were headed to the Ross Global Academy on East 12th Street around 8:30 a.m. The accident happened at 10th Street and Avenue B, the school's executive director, Richard Burke, told Patrick Hedlund.

He said the injuries were minor, "including bumps, bruises and bloody lips."

There isn't actually a speed bump on Avenue B at 10th Street. Still, there's a pretty decent slope with some potholes. I've been sent airborne a few times on the M8 when the driver is trying to beat the light...

In any event, the city might what to take a closer look at this intersection before it gets worse than bumps and bloody lips.

Kinda weird and cool computer repair shop-plasma TV installers-DVD rental place closing on First Avenue

I suppose this isn't shocker ... The store formally known as Intervideo Electronics is closing. And you can see how they've tried to keep up with the times on their sign...

...and they were always good for oddball DVDs that I never knew existed.

And, of course, whenever a little place like this shutters... you have to wonder/worry about what might arrive next ...

Apartment rental photo of the day

Woo!

Streeteasy has the listing for this a four-bedroom apartment at 440 E. Sixth St. going for $5,200:

Fully Renovated 6RM 4BR, Elevator, Huge Bedrooms, Oak Floors, Large Bathroom, High Celings, EIK, Large Living Room, Lots Of Sun Light, Apt Faces Front, Steps From Tompkins Park. Great Share For Four Because Everyone Gets a Large Bedroom, a Large Living Room, Oak Floors, an EIK, High Celings a Pre-War Elevator Buliding Located on the Corner of Avenue A and East 6 St. Students with Guarantors OK.

Bonus bed photo!

Pop Market Store now open in the Morrison Hotel

Last Friday, I noted that a PopMarket Store was opening in the Morrison Hotel space on the Bowery.

And the store opened yesterday. They have vinyl, CD/DVD box sets and T-shirts for just a handful of artists, including Johnny Cash, the Stooges, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, the Clash, Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen, Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam and Michael Jackson.

The store will be here through June 30, longer if things go well... They're also showing select documentaries too.

Waiting to hear about retail tenant for the Copper Building

As we noted last week, there looks to be activity in the retail space at the Copper Building on Avenue B at 13th Street.

Brian Meier, senior vice president at Prudential Douglas Elliman, said via email that the space was sold to an investor, who has a contract out on the storefront. No word just yet on who the new tenant will be...

In any event, you can likely rule out a Subway sandwich shop here.

At the funeral tonight of 35 Cooper Square

Meanwhile, behind the plywood...

Photos by Bobby Williams

Crazy Eddie sent along a few shots too...

Read more about it here.

Get involved in the cause via the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors and Lower East Side History Project.

Updated:

Roger_Paw was there, and has more photos here. BoweryBoogie has coverage here.

That was fast: Nicky's Pho and Lingua closed after just 3 months

In early February, we noted that Nicky's Pho had opened on East Fourth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B...

[Photo via EV Grieve reader Hanser]

Grub Street reports that they have closed. Says co-owner Billy Dang, "I made a big mistake for taking the spot, because there’s not enough traffic and it’s not making enough money."

Bet the people opening the former Tonda space down the street will love to hear that lack-of-traffic line. Meanwhile, Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches remains open on Second Street just east of Avenue A.

Grub Street also reports that Lingua on First Avenue near Seventh Street has closed after three months.

Per Grub Street: "Perhaps the menu, which offered a slew of innards, like tripe Florentine, lamb sweetbreads, and tongue, was a bit too adventurous for East Villagers' tastes."

Five on five

Today in pleasant requests outside the Beagle

From Dave on 7th... at the former Orologio space on Avenue A... now home to the Beagle.