1 week left for Ess-A-Bagel at its current 1st Avenue location

You have until Sunday to stop by the bagel shop just a little north of here on First Avenue at East 21st Street. Ess-A-Bagel will be closed starting on March 23, per a note on display for customers inside the shop.

As the Town & Village Blog first reported on Jan. 16, Ess-a-Bagel was being forced out of its longtime home. However, according to a statement that the landlord's reps sent us, Ess-A-Bagel’s owners "repeatedly refused to meet us between their below-market rent and current market value."

Whatever transpired between the two sides … Ess-A-Bagel is leaving its home here of 39 years… perhaps staying close by…

Don't worry fans of Ess-a-Bagel's 1st Ave location, our delicious hand rolled bagels are just moving down the block!! #NYC'sBest=EssaBagel

— Ess-A-Bagel, Inc. (@EssABagel) January 17, 2015

The note to customers emphasizes that they will not be leaving the area ... with a Grand Reopening coming at an undisclosed location.

No word yet where the new Ess-A-Bagel might be… The former home of The Frenchmen is apparently a possibility, according to a tipster.

Meanwhile, Ess-A-Bagel fans are leaving notes on the wall...



Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Report: Landlord forcing Ess-a-Bagel from its longtime home (46 comments)

Mercadito has officially closed on Avenue B

As noted last Thursday, the Marshal served eviction papers to Mercadito … and while we've seen these situations work out between the landlord and tenant a few times, that's not the case here. Mercadito has closed for good at 179 Avenue B between East 11th Street and East 12th Street.

While there isn't any mention of a closure on the Mexican restaurant's website or social media properties, the phone has been disconnected … and the Avenue B location has been removed from the company website...



Said one EVG commenter, "They closed because their lease was up and they were going to triple the rent. Hard to imagine another restaurant that would be profitable given how popular it was."

In any event, that appears to be it for Mercadito's NYC presence. Mercadito Grove in the West Village closed last fall. And Mercadito Cantina at 172 Avenue B closed in January 2011.

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Mercadito Cantina closing: 'Open letter to EV Grieve and CB3'

Ginger has closed on 1st Avenue

That's apparently it for the unique little sushi place at 109 First Ave. near East Seventh Street… we heard that they would be closing some time this month… and now someone has removed the Ginger sign from the storefront.

An EVG reader said that a rent hike wasn't to blame for the closure of the 10-year-old Ginger… rather the owners decided to sell the business for family reasons. We haven't heard yet what might be coming next to the space.

Checking in on the Duane Reade coming soon to the Adele's retail space on Avenue D

We spotted the Duane Reade coming soon signs last July here in the retail space at the new Adele residential complex on Avenue D and East Houston. (Officially 310 E. Second St.)

Anyway, work continues on the space… which will not be just a Duane Reade but a Duane Reade by Walgreens… (All new Duane Reades will have this co-branding.)



The location will also include a Photo Department…



As previously noted, a Duane Reade might be needed on Avenue D… given that the Rite Aid between East Seventh Street and East Sixth Street will close to make way for the 12-story, mixed-used apartment building going up at the address.

Life at 20 Avenue A

Workers erected a sidewalk bridge around 20 Avenue A at East Second Street on Thursday. According to one building source, part of the exterior brick covering fell off along a second-floor window.

And as for the address… the 62-unit, rent-regulated building changed hands last summer for $26.2 million, as The Real Deal first reported.

Per our coverage in August:

One building resident said that the new management company has been pretty responsive so far. And there's new laundry room coming soon.

"We will see how the honeymoon period goes," the resident said.

Apparently the honeymoon is over. The resident now says that "nonstop renovation has plagued the building since Elizabeth Assets LLC purchased the address."

Specifically:

"It's been pretty shitty. They have been doing non-stop construction that shuts off the elevator, breaks the door buzzer, turns off water without notice," among other things, according to the resident. "All the paperwork is under layer after layer of LLC so you can't even track down a legitimate place to send your complaints."

There are also accusations of unfriendly treatment toward the longtime residents, some of whom have been offered buyouts. As for all this, the residents formed a tenants association and have been working with outside housing sources for assistance.

According to Streeteasy, the newly gut renovated apartments range from $2,595 for a studio to $4,000 for a two-bedroom unit.

"The lobby and hallways are dirty and busted, and they keep telling new tenants that everything will be redone very soon," the resident said. "I wouldn't hold my breath."

13 months after opening, the USPS retail outlet on East 14th Street gets signage

Several readers pointed out that the new sign arrived here between First Avenue and Second Avenue back on Thursday… giving the former Duane Reade location that neighborhood post office look …

Perhaps this will prevent people from walking into the wrong building.

And a bonus nighttime shot via EVG regular Pinch…



The retail outlet opened on Feb. 24, 2014. This location took the place of the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office at 432-438 E. 14th St. just west of Avenue A, which will eventually yield to a 8-floor retail-residential complex.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Please note that this apartment building is NOT the new Post Office retail outlet on East 14th Street

Week in Grieview

[Photo on East 10th Street yesterday by Luke A]

Puebla Mexican Food is closing after 25 years on First Avenue (Monday)

At Pardon My French, now open on Avenue B (Wednesday)

#SaveNYC (Monday)

Organic food store taking over the former Kim's Video and Music space on First Avenue (Tuesday)

Rent hike forcing Cafe Pick Me Up into its smaller space next door on Avenue A (Friday)

East Village students, parents and teachers join in protesting Cuomo’s education reforms (Friday)

Out and About with Stephen Shanaghan and Arnoldo Caballero (Wednesday)

Rent hike dooms 42-year-old Mitali East on Sixth Street (Saturday)

The new addition for 324 E. Fourth S. (Monday)

Arturo Vega exhibition opens new Howl!-backed gallery on East First Street (Thursday)

The Marshal seizes Mercadito on Avenue B (Thursday)

Hou Yi Hot Pot coming to Second Avenue (Tuesday)

State of New York auctioned off the remains of B.A.D. Burger on Avenue A (Monday)

The future of 347 Bowery (sorta!) revealed (Friday)

Christo and Dora are building two nests on the Ageloff Towers (Tuesday)

Pasta in the works for St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

Kabin space for rent on Second Avenue (Friday)

Looks as if the Subway (sandwich shop) on East 14th Street has closed (Tuesday)

New York Sports Club is open on Avenue A (Wednesday)

Four months after moving across East 14th Street, Vegtown closes (Wednesday)

Here are your all-new trash cans on Avenue A (Wednesday)

The old Subway Inn neon sign is now up at the bar's new Upper East Side home (Monday)

… and some scenes from UNESSENTIAL CINEMA PRESENTS: THE RECKONING OF PAC LAB Thursday night at the Anthology Film Archives via Peter Brownscombe… who noted that some of the films were even in focus….

Free surfboard alert

On the southwest corner of First Avenue and Second Street as of 8:45 a.m.

And now we're humming this…

Last call for the Tompkins Square Park quinzhee

Photo this afternoon via Bobby Williams…

Previously!


[Photo from March 1 by Grant Shaffer]

Home entertainment set up for grabs

On East Sixth Street and Avenue D… via Dave on 7th

Landlord Steve Croman denies new lease for 40-year-old Mitali East on 6th Street

[Image via Facebook]

The sign on the restaurant's door at 334 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue sums up the situation...



As we understand it, the Marshal has already been by with eviction papers … and Mitali East, which has served Indian and Bengali specialties here since 1973, will be closing in another few days at most.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy dined at Mitali East last night. She said that Sai, the owner, wasn't bitter or upset — just sad. They have looked in the neighborhood for another space but, not surprisingly, nothing affordable is available.

Steve Croman bought the building in early January, according to public documents.

Just a few shopping days left

Outside Gem Spa on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place this morning…

The St. Stanislaus flea market is this weekend

Noon to 6 p.m. today. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow.

Down in the church hall … 101 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue...

Stuck on You

Here is some pop via the Twerps, who are playing at the Mercury Lounge tomorrow night.

The track here, "Back to You," is from the Australian band's second full-length release on Merge Records.