So long 7A

[Photo yesterday by EVG reader Thomkat]

After 30 some years, 7A has closed... the owner of the restaurant that had anchored the southwest corner of Avenue A and East Seventh Street since the mid-1980s announced earlier in the month that he was closing the business... we never did hear an official reason for the closure.

Meanwhile, by all accounts, the place was busy yesterday on its last day...

Even on its last day, there's a line out the door at 7A. & it includes me & Jimmy McMillan. @damnrentparty @evgrieve pic.twitter.com/2TibvifWi4

— Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) January 26, 2014

@evgrieve Yep. Festive atmosphere in here. You'd never know it's their last day. pic.twitter.com/OXksvbRYUJ

— Chris F. (@fnytv) January 26, 2014

And there was a late-afternoon happy-hour-till-we-run-out-of-booze special...


[Photo via @fnytv]

... and some other sentiments on the last days of 7A via Twitter...

Had my final meal at @7ACafeAlphaCity last night...so sad to see them close...so many memories there.

— The Daily Guru (@TheDailyGuru) January 26, 2014

It's the end of an era. Just had my last late night drunken meal at #7A Thanks for employing me 15 years ago! #eastvillage #nyc

— bottomlesspitnyc (@foodfreaknyc) January 25, 2014

Today is the last day for 7A. Another win for the blandification of New York. Whether you loved or hated the... http://t.co/aHlNdJSvgO

— JustDean (@deanpkny) January 26, 2014

The rumor is that bold-face namers Serge Becker and Josh Picard are opening some kind of Southern-themed restaurant here. Yesterday, members of the staff said that none of them will have jobs at the new place.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Reader report: 7A will close at the end of the month

Are Serge Becker and Josh Picard taking over 7A?

100 years before 7A, there was L.W. Schwenk

[EVG file photo]

7A is now closed on the southwest corner of Avenue A and East Seventh Street… the restaurant, which opened in the mid 1980s (anyone have the exact date? We've heard several different years), ended service as of yesterday.

Meanwhile, almost 100 years ago, the address was home to L.W. Schwenk… and here's a photo dated July 24, 1914, titled "Depositors at failed bank."



Wow. Seems like 100 years ago! (Ugh, sorry, that was bad.) But to think in better times some of the people in this crowd went to McSorley's ... or Katz's ... or Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery... or Veniero's ... or DeRobertis Caffe... or John's of 12th Street ... or...

beQu now open in the former 9th St. Bakery space

[Photo by EVG regular William Klayer]

beQu — for Beyond Quality — just opened on East Ninth Street... at the site of the former 9th St. Bakery.

Per the beQu website:

Our belief is simple: live beyond Quality.

With this idea, two brothers set out on a journey to bring healthy, nutritious, and great tasting foods to the people around us. We launched beQu Juice Café in the fall of 2008 on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens serving salads, sandwiches, wraps, juices, and smoothies. During our three year period on Smith Street we have developed and perfected our PurePress juice brand and decided to leave the restaurant business and focus our energy on making the best juices on the planet.

We live with the notion that a happy life is a healthy life, and a healthy life is enjoying the basic things that the earth has to offer just the way they are; untouched, unpreserved, untampered with.

A rent hike forced the bakery to close in June 2012.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: 9th St. Bakery is closing after 87 years

Replacement for 87-year-old 9th St. Bakery revealed

Sidewalk Cafe unveils new menu items

There's a new Mediterranean/Middle Eastern menu over at Sidewalk Cafe on Avenue A and East Sixth Street… there's the return of the hummus…



… as well as items like chicken shawarma and hand-rolled couscous. You can find the new menu online here.

In honor of the new menu tonight at Sidewalk, which opened here in 1985 … there's the Menu Monday at the Open Stage starting at 7:30. Per the Facebook event page:

For this special Monday Night Open Stage we'll be promoting the new menu. Order ANYTHING off the menu and get a free beer/well/coffee/tea (happy hour drinks).

Anything? Want fries? Get a beer? Falafel? Beer. Hummus? Beer. Or whatever you want.

WHEN WILL THIS OBSCENE SNOWFITTI END!?

Oh, wait. Sorry! As you were!

Photo on East Fourth Street by Derek Berg

Week in Grieview

[A view Tuesday via EVG regular jdx]

More development plans for East 14th Street revealed (Thursday)

$1 million bail set for driver who crashed into East Village Farm and Grocery; prosecutors consider homicide charges (Tuesday)

This East Village resident helped save Jerry's Newsstand (Friday)

A break-in at 2 Bros. (Monday)

Arcane is closing on Avenue C (Friday)

Sushi Lounge finds a new home (Wednesday)

2 new wine shops coming to First Avenue (Tuesday)

Out and About with Alex Harsley (Wednesday)

Looking for a 6-bedroom "frat house"? (Thursday)

Avalon Chrystie Place is for sale (Wednesday)

First sign of Schnitz (Tuesday)

Peels has closed on the Bowery (Thursday)

Maria's Cafe leaves for West Harlem (Tuesday)

You won't have the "Girls" mural to look at anymore (Tuesday)

Check out the ultra-rare "TV-CBGB" (Monday)

Grifter alert (Tuesday)

Rabbit Season at 51 Astor Place! (Wednesday)

Look at David Schwimmer's new gate (Friday)

And here's one more from jdx from Tuesday… check out his site here.

When will Mayor de Blasio bring an end to this... this... this ...

Just taunting us now. East Seventh Street this morning via Derek Berg.

Take a ride up the 3rd Avenue EL in the early 1950s

In case you've never seen this… EVG regular Pinhead shared this video… here's the YouTube description:

Hosted by the late transit historian Roger Arcara , we take a nostalgic ride up the eastside 3rd Ave. EL in the early to mid 1950's in color, which by that time was MANHATTAN's last surviving elevated line. Please note this film covers the line north of CHATHAM SQ. which is at the tail end of THE BOWERY, on up to the north Bronx. The section south of CHATHAM SQ was abandon in 1950. and this film covers the years 1953- 1955.

The video is 57 minutes long… you will find a few familiar scenes starting with Cooper Union at the 9-minute mark… up to 10:15… The 3rd Avenue EL closed in May 1955.

Same old snow story today

Photos from Tompkins Square Park via Bobby "Yukon" Williams...

An ugly 2-car collision on Avenue B and East 7th Street

For the second consecutive Saturday... there has been a nasty collision on Avenue B... late this morning at East Seventh Street...


[Photo by Shawn Chittle]


[SC]

No one saw what happened... just the aftermath... it appears at least one person was taken away on a stretcher. We haven't heard any reports of the extent of the injuries...


[Photo by Joan Pantesco]


[JP]

Check out the 'Sturgeon Queens'

The trailer for "Sturgeon Queens" has been making the rounds lately on the blogs… Filmmaker Julie Cohen's documentary takes a look at the 100-year history of Russ & Daughters on East Houston… featuring a mix of regulars as well as celebrity customers like Maggie Gyllenhaal … Eater notes a screening coming up on May 20 at the JCC CineMatters festival on the Upper West Side. Otherwise, you'll have to wait until PBS airs it in the fall…

Meanwhile, Russ & Daughters is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year… a time when they are expanding with a new cafe around the corner on Orchard Street…

The nexus of the universe in 1975

Here's a photo by Dean Lapinel that Dirty Old 1970's New York City posted on Facebook yesterday…

From East First Street at First Avenue, facing northeast, circa 1975. On the corner now is Juicy Lucy and Golden Cadillac (and Boca Chica before)… Now who's up for some bocci?

How soon is not?

A poppier something by the Throwing Muses ... with "Not Too Soon" circa 1991 ... the band is back together and playing March 8 at the Bowery Ballroom ... featuring an opening set by band co-founder and former member Tanya Donelly, who sings the above song...

Citi Bike snow removal

[Tuesday night on Lafayette via EVG reader 8E]

Have you wondered who shovels out the docking stations for the Citi Bikes? (If no, then you don't need to keep reading!)

EVG contributor Derek Berg spotted workers clearing the station on East Fourth Street and Second Avenue this morning ... they work for DynaServ out in Maspeth.

Now you know!