EVG Etc.: Blink Fitness files for bankruptcy; cops find cocaine at smoke shop

The return of "Law & Order SVU" to the EV tomorrow, Aug. 14 

• Blink Fitness, Equinox-owned gym chain with an outpost on Avenue A, files for bankruptcy (CBS News ... CNN) 

• The East Village is now the nexus of a $10 takeout pasta trend (Eater) 

• Tompkins Square Park red-tailed hawk class of 2024 ready to venture out (Laura Goggin Photography) 

• Ticket to ride, white line highway: Law enforcement discovers 13 pounds of cocaine at Clinton Street smoke shop (PIX11)

• The sometimes watchable "Blank Generation" with Richard Hell gets a rare screening (Metrograph) 

• Locking up items to deter shoplifting is pushing shoppers online (Axios) 

• ICYMI: Pier 35 to be home to the East River floating pool (6sqft) 

• Did you lose something in a public place in NYC? How to maybe get it back. (The City) 

• After 57 years, AM fave WCBS-880 will shift from an all-news format to sports (amNY) 

•  The New York Times will no longer offer endorsements of local NYC candidates, including governor (Media Nation)

• NYC travel and tourism are back, report shows (McKinsey & Company) 

'Make Me Famous' receives an encore presentation at the Village East by Angelika

You have five more opportunities to see "Make Me Famous" in the neighborhood where the well-regarded documentary is set. 

The film about 1980s-era East Village-based painter Edward Brezinski will be playing these five dates at Village East by Angelika on Second Avenue at 12th Street: 

• Aug. 16, 7 p.m. Post-screening guests: artist James Romberger and director Brian Vincent 

• Aug. 17, 7 p.m. No post-screening guests 

• Aug. 18, 4 p.m. Post-screening guests: photographer Allen Frame and Vincent 

• Aug. 19, 7 p.m. Post-screening guests: writer, muse Claudia Summers and Vincent 

• Aug. 21, 7 p.m. Post-screening guests: archival cinematographer Jim C. and Vincent 

Find ticket info here. 

The encore comes after a successful three-night run (July 27, 31 and Aug. 1) at the Village East. The documentary, featuring some never-before-seen 1980s footage of the East Village, explores Brezinski's colorful career and mysterious disappearance.

   

On Saturday, EVG's Stacie Joy spotted Vincent and producer Heather Spore handing out business cards in Tompkins Square Park for "Make Me Famous" ...

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• 'Make Me Famous,' a documentary on 1980s-era East Village-based painter Edward Brezinski, finally gets an East Village screening

'Street Leather,' the rat zine of your dreams, is now available

Photo and reporting by Stacie Joy 

The rat pack came together this past Friday night to toast the first issue of "Street Leather," a zine dedicated to stories of NYC's most beloved and hated rodents.

As we first reported back in March, two local residents — anonymous at the time — were collecting submissions for this project, an assortment of memorable encounters with rats in NYC. 

During Thursday night's unveiling at the Francis Kite Club on Avenue C, the creators revealed themselves as two journalists with a shared interest in the subject matter — Jake Offenhartz and Olivia Bensimon.

The evening was suitably strange for a launch party for a rat zine. Claudi of Pinc Louds performed a rat song and a spoken-word poem while there were readings by contributors, such as Harry Siegel. Meanwhile, guests enjoyed a drink special called the Ratini. 

Volume 1, illustrated by Sabrina Bezerra, is filled with stories, poems, photos, and other oddities about rats, dead and alive, and dedicated to "all the rats who died, often violently and in occasionally interesting positions." (We especially like the story about the Top View Hop-On-Hop-Off Double Decker tour bus.) 

The zine is available in Brooklyn at Quimby's Bookstore and Spoonbills Books. Closer to home, free copies are available at Bluestockings, 116 Suffolk St., between Rivington and Delancey on the LES. (The editors are working on getting the zine in more places.) 

Meanwhile, you can submit your rodent-related comics, poems, true stories, and songs to newyorkrathole (newyorkrathole@gmail.com) for possible publication in volume 2. 

You can also follow @streetleathernyc on Instagram for updates. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• These zine editors want your rat stories ('Don't call us gross')

'The Big Gay Jamboree' announces itself on the classic Orpheum marquee on 2nd Avenue

"The Big Gay Jamboree," described as "a new comedy trapped inside of a musical," is up next at the classic Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue. 

And yesterday, the marquee signage arrived here between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

Derek Berg caught the changing of the show signs in action...

As we previously noted, previews start on Sept. 14 ... with a run through Jan. 19. Ticket info here. 

Meanwhile, workers left signage for the last production, Eddie Izzard's "Hamlet," lying on the sidewalk... and now likely part of a traveler's encampment down the block.

And another angle via Derek...

With "Stomp" playing at the Orpheum for 29 years, we didn't get many chances to announce the changing of the marquee signage.

Waiting on the Hard Quartet video on St. Mark's Place and 1st Avenue

The Hard Quartet, a new supergroup with local ties, was spotted a few weeks back shooting a video outside 98 St. Mark's Place and around the corner at the International Bar on First Avenue near Sixth Street, per these photos shared by an EVG reader. 

Group members Emmett Kelly, Stephen Malkmus, Matt Sweeney and Jim White are apparently paying homage to the 1981 Rolling Stones video "Waiting on a Friend." The classic clip saw Mick Jagger and Keith Richards (and friends!) on the stoop next door at 96 St. Mark's Place. (Yes, the building at No. 96-98 is also famous for this.)

After meeting on the stoop, Messrs. Jagger and Richards head to the corner of St. Mark's Place and First to meet the rest of the Stones inside the old St. Mark's Bar & Grill (now the Lions Bar & Grill). 

It looks as if Malkmus and Sweeney are taking a similar, though not exact, path...

The International Bar also has a starring role. (In the Stones video, Richards is seen walking by the iBar when it was on St. Mark's Place).

 

No word on what Hard Quartet song this video might for... you can check out their first video here. 

The Hard Quartet play Webster Hall on Oct. 17. 

Demolition watch: 50-64 Third Ave.

TLK by Tigerlily Kitchen shut down after service last night at 58 Third Ave. "due to the pending demolition."

The restaurant was the last tenant (retail or residential) in the six buildings at 50-64 along Third Avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street.

As PincusCo. first reported in May 2023, Kinsmen Property Group — a joint venture between State Building Group and another Toronto company, Madison Group — bought the walk-up buildings over several years, paying more than $60 million for the parcel. 

We saw some demolition prep work late last year (64 Third Ave., where the Ainsworth was, looks hollowed out), though the work has tapered off this year. 

Last August, according to Straus News, which publishes several local weekly newspapers and associated websites, including Our Town — Eastsider, a spokesperson for the DOB said "that outstanding objections" have interrupted the developer's plans. 

While various demolition permits are on file with the Department of Buildings, there is still no sign of paperwork for the new development. 

A rendering of the new building appeared on the State Building Group's website last September. It is listed under the company's "residential" portfolio. 

At first glance, the building looks more commercial/office. Here's the information included with the listing: 

50-64 3rd Avenue is a 6-building assemblage located at the nexus of the East Village, Greenwich Village and Astor Place. The site allows for 160,000 sq. ft. of new construction and has a land area of 16,500 sq. ft.

Only one building will remain on the block after the demolition—48 Third Ave., the four-story property owned by Isfahany Realty Corp. on the northwest corner of 10th Street, which has Healthy Greens Gourmet in the retail space.

Meanwhile, Kinsmen Property Group owns a stalled development on the west side of the Bowery between Delancey and Kenmare.

New building permits dating to 2022 are on file for a 72,441-square-foot mixed-use commercial building via Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) at 156-166 Bowery. 

However, this project will likely remain stalled after the death of REEC's Brandon Miller. Here's a rendering of the new Bowery building via Perkins&Will Architects ...

More unlicensed weed shops shuttered, and one return

With photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Law enforcement continues to crack down on unlicensed cannabis shops throughout NYC.

The most recent victims in the East Village include Smoke House at 44 Avenue A at Third Street. (Tough few weeks for them — they were also burglarized on July 29.)

The Villager Smoke Shop at 445 E. Ninth St. at Avenue A was also busted (next two photos via Steven)...

And there have been others, as local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera noted in an X post this past Thursday...

Unlicensed dispensaries do not comply with regulations meant to protect health + life, and some have been found to sell to minors and host other illegal activity. More locations in our community have been closed, and we encourage you to continue reporting locations to our office. pic.twitter.com/he5tF0aBCQ

— NYC Council Member Carlina Rivera (@CMCarlinaRivera) August 8, 2024

Still, despite the efforts of local law enforcement (under the New York City Sheriff's Joint Compliance Task Force), the fines, the restraining orders, etc., some places find a way to return. 

For instance, the Grab & Go Convenience at 23 Avenue B, which was shut down in May, returned as Camino.

Apparently they won their court case, bringing them back from the dead. This is the first time that we've seen a smoke shop come back from a sealed, multiagency court order. 

So: Open smoke shop. Bust. Reopen. Bust again. And again. Court-order seal. Slap a new business name on the space and reopen. Rinse. Repeat.

Reader report: the sloppy Joe from the Slopey Joe truck on 14th Street

If you want to relive a favorite middle/high school lunch, we have a food truck for you. 

An EVG reader reviewed a favorite item from the Slopey Joe's truck stationed this summer on 14th Street just east of Avenue A. 

"I love a good sloppy Joe sandwich — it was my favorite school lunch meal. But you rarely see them on menus," said Julie Manis, who shared the above photo. "And this is far and away the best I've ever had. Sauce with just a slight kick. A slice of melty cheese. Kind of a barbecue flavor. They make other things, too, but why have anything else when you can get a sloppy Joe?" 

Slopey Joe also offers several burgers, chicken sandwiches and hot dogs. (There are vegetarian options too.) You can find a menu here. And you can follow them on Instagram.

First sign of Ishq, a new Indian restaurant on Avenue A

Signage is up for the new restaurant coming to 202 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street. 

The owners of Gazab on Essex Street (just south of Houston) are opening an Indian restaurant here. Previous news reports about this arrival stated that the name would be Jhakaas.

However, the signage — as well as the questionnaire online at the CB3 website for a liquor license — lists the name as Ishq...

Ishq is currently hiring ...

According to the Commercial Observer, Gazab Executive Chef and founder Vamshi Adi would also run Jhakaas. 

The 3,000-square-foot space was previously Kōbo by Nai, which quietly closed in the spring after arriving in late 2022. 

The address, 202 Avenue A, which has a tragic past, received a horizontal and vertical enlargement several years back, adding two floors to the building.

(Pink) Signage alert: Loong Noodles on St. Mark's Place

We noted the coming-soon signage for Loong Noodles at 28 St. Mark's Place a few weeks back. 

Now, the neon signage has arrived, and it's pink. Very pink! 

Here's how it looks at night, providing a menacing glow to this block between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (Thanks to Jacob Ford for these photos.)

The noodle shop appears to be opening soon. If you're on Instagram, you can find their account here. 

Until December, No. 28 was Kung Fu Tea for the past 10 years. (Will Loong attract the electric unicyclists like Kung Fu Tea did?)

Sunday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

A summer Sunday afternoon in Tompkins Square Park...

Playing the Apollo?

Photo today from 10th Street at First Avenue at Apollo Bagels... thanks to Rainer Turim for the photo.

Week In Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a ride-share photo on 9th Street by Derek Berg)... 

• Mayor Adams unveils the 14th Street Community Improvement Coalition for long-problematic East Village corridor (Friday) 

• A visit to Groove Garden, a community music studio on Avenue C (Wednesday) 

• Ruby/Dakota opens on 2nd Street: Gallery is a tribute to family legacy and personal healing (Friday)

• The end and beginning of curbside dining (Monday) 

• Little Poland appreciation post (Thursday) 

• TLK by Tigerlily Kitchen closing as demolition looms on 3rd Avenue (Saturday) 

• 2 members of Team USA are featured in this local band's new music video (Tuesday)

• About the Show Brain Festival 2024 in Tompkins Square Park (Friday) 

• Have you been to the new location of Sammy's Roumanian Steak House? (Thursday) 

• Elisa's Love Bites closes its 9th Street storefront (Wednesday)

• The summer of stolen plaques continues with thefts at New York Marble Cemetery, the former Club 57 (Tuesday) ... The plague of plaque thefts (Thursday) 

• Manhattan's first medicinal marijuana dispensary is now for lease on 14th Street (Monday) 

• Coming attractions: Korean rice bowls for 309 E. Houston St. (Tuesday) 

• Grand openings: G's Cheesesteaks on Avenue B at Houston (Monday)

• 14th Street's twinkling lights tree returns to its roots (Tuesday) 

• Sidewalk bridge removal reveals a business closure on 1st Avenue (Monday) 

• The Black Ant has closed on 2nd Avenue (Monday) 

... and the National Night Out Against Crime took place this past Tuesday. Here are a few scenes from the annual community-building campaign at the 9th Precinct on Fifth Street (photos by Stacie Joy).

The Rock Against Racism concert is today in Washington Square Park

The Rock Against Racism concert is taking place this afternoon in Washington Square Park.

This was rescheduled from the May 5 rainout. (The show was also once slated for Tompkins Square Park.)

Bands playing today from 2-6 include Ten Ton Mojo ... Four Trips Ahead ... Lake Lanier ... Skadanks ... and Butter Brain.