[
Photo from Jan. 8]
As we noted last week, Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and East Ninth Street is awfully quiet at the moment. For now, just two of seven businesses are open on the block.
This situation will
likely change soon enough. Lucy's will return. (The sign on the door says closed until further notice. She usually does take several breaks during the year, though those generally occur in
late July-early August and
late November-early December.)
The former 10 Degrees Bistro space will become a cajun-style restaurant via
the team behind Shoolbred's and Ninth Ward. And the for rent signs have been removed from the
former Sustainable NYC storefront. One EVG reader saw the folks from Top A Nails next door in here. (That could have just been a coincidence.)
Anyway, seems like a good time to look at a few other blocks with multiple empty storefronts... such as East 14th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...
Danny's Cycles closed this location (due to a rent increase, according to some longtime customers) ... next door, the space has been
Vegtown Juice,
Chubby Mary's and
Led Zeppole in the past three-plus years...
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The west side of Third Avenue between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street has seen a lot of turnover in the past year, including the departures of East Village Cheese and Excel Art and Framing Store (
both found new locations) and
Organic Avenue. Five spaces are vacant (two of them are for rent).
There have been
rumors that the Duane Reade at East 10th Street will eventually expand into at least two of the empty storefronts (and there are now approved
work permits for the renovation on file with the city)...
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... and directly across Third Avenue — the retail strip in the base of NYU's Alumni Hall between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street has many vacancies: Four of six storefronts are empty ... Citi Habitats moved out in June 2014 ...
Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery closed in July 2014 ...
the Subway sandwich shop closed early last October ... followed by
Saint's Alp Teahouse ...
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... the north side of St. Mark's Place has been hard hit... starting with the (temporary for now)
closure of Nino's on the corner... then four of the next five storefronts are empty. The former
Hop Devil Grill,
Ton-Up Cafe, the Belgian Room and
Luca Bar.
There is one incoming tenant — Sweethaus Cupcake Cafe is apparently opening at the old
Luca Bar space at No. 119.
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Staying on St. Mark's Place... we've
previously noted how long (since late 2011) 37 St. Mark's Place at Second Avenue has sat empty. Four retail spots are available...
[
Photo from October]
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...and another long-empty block to note: Avenue B between East Fourth Street and East Third Street... these four storefronts have been unoccupied for years now, including
the old Max restaurant at No. 51,
now entering its fourth year of vacancy ... and No. 47, the former Le Souk, has been mostly barren
for nearly seven years.
There have been a number of brokers trying to rent these spaces. For now, there aren't any for rent signs on the retail properties...
Previously on EV Grieve:
There are more than 20 empty storefronts along Avenue B (2008)
There are 21 empty storefronts along Avenue A (2010)
