[Photo from Friday]
As first reported yesterday, Papaya King has closed its location at 3 St. Mark's Place.
Last week, Real Estate Equities Corporation made public (via The Real Deal) its plans to demolish the existing low-rise buildings at 3 St. Mark’s Place, 23 and 25-27 Third Ave. to make way for a 7-story office building.
There wasn't any mention of a timeline for the existing businesses to depart ahead of the demolition of this northeast corner. Given Papaya King's quick departure, it seemed as if the development would take hold sooner rather than later.
Yesterday, however, The Continental, one of the remaining businesses, addressed the situation on its website. Here's part of the message via owner Trigger Smith:
It is with heavy heart that I have to inform everyone that Continental has less than a year left. Some time after the end of August 2018, this corner will be knocked down and developed. It's truly heartbreaking that we and so many Old Skool places are falling by the wayside but unless you own your building that's how it goes.
For going on 27 years this Bar has been my life. First as a Rock Club and then as a Dive Bar and I've loved every minute of it (mostly speaking). Don't hate my landlords. They're older now, got a great deal and I can't blame them and I want to thank them; Eddie, Ruth and Jack (RIP) for treating me like Family and always giving me an affordable rent and I also want to thank Jeff Bezos for not selling Beer. Special Thanks to my Staff — especially Noel and Bingo, the Bands, the Regulars and the rest of you lunatics for coming to my bar all these years! I'm grateful and honored that we're part of NYC Rock History and I'm also very proud of this incarnation, what I call a Classy, Dive Bar. When I was bartending my way through college — this was my Dream and it happened! I will always be so deeply grateful for this experience...Trigger
[EVG photo from May]
The Continental was a live music venue from its inception in 1991 through the fall of 2006, becoming home then of the five-shots-of-anything-for-$10 promotion before that changed to five-shots-of-anything-for-$12 in the spring.
Trigger signed off with the P.S.: "[I]f we're very, very busy for the remainder, it's possible that we'll have the funds to relocate!!!"
As Crain's previously reported, the bar has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice.