Reposts: A campaign to save Kate's Joint on Avenue B

[File photo via @HanserHanser]

We posted this on Saturday morning...

Kate is currently in arrears with the landlord. Eviction notices have been sent, court appearances have been made, and if a substantial amount of money is not raised by April 11th, the next court date, the doors will shut permanently at Kate’s Joint.

There's a campaign to help the save the space at Indiegogo here. We had a few comments on the post, and not everyone was very sympathetic.

Meanwhile, during the weekend, our friend @jarak made a good point via Twitter: "Vegpocalypse? Counter, Curly's, Quantum and maybe Kate's dunzo? Anti-soyite landlords?"

Counter on First Avenue closed last year... Quantum Leap closed on First Avenue in November... Curly's, then its replacement, the 14 Carrot, both closed on 14th Street this year... Coincidence... or perhaps a larger food trend at work here?

Espresso bar opening next month on East Sixth Street

Dave on 7th points out a new expresso bar opening next month here between Avenue A and Avenue B...

Reminders tonight: CB3 SLA licensing meeting; plus a look at 200 Avenue A

Reminder for tonight... here's the latest rundown with a few scratches...

And the application that will likely draw the most conversation: Ave A Hospitality LLC, 200 Ave A (op)

The people hoping to take over the one-time home to Superdive have been before the CB3/SLA committee three times — and turned down each time... We heard the concept during one of the meetings — an art gallery with a full-service restaurant. Read the background here.

But let's take a fresh look at the application, now on file at the CB3 website. (PDF)

The three principals are looking at business hours of 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday; until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The kitchen will be open to within one hour of closing. The application also shows that they'd be 19 tables seating 52 people, plus one bar with 12 additional seats. The gallery-restaurant would employ between 20-25 people. Lastly, there are proposed "promoted events, scheduled performances."

The plywood at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery,

It's never acceptable to make jokey observations about beloved neighborhood institutions, like if you saw plywood outside St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery and said something like, "Shake Shack opening here?" But it would be perfectly reasonable to think such things.

Anyway, as you've noticed of late...

Per the work permits:

RESTORATION OF EXISTING BRICK ARCH AND ASSOCIATED IRON GATE LOCATED IN WEST YARD
OF CHURCH PROPERTY. NO CHANGE IN USE, EGRESS OR OCCUPANCY.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New commercial turns historic St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery into a bank branch

C’est Magnifique is now on East Ninth Street

Thanks to an EV Grieve Facebook regular for letting us know that C’est Magnifique relocated earlier this month from Macdougal Street to East Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

As the Times noted a few years back, Funzy and Josephine Albrizio opened the store on Macdougal Street in 1959 ... the next generation of the Albrizio family now run the jewelry store...

And from the Times, a familiar story...

After more than half a century in the same spot, Mr. Albrizio said he was unsure of C’est Magnifique’s future: the building that houses the shop changed hands around six months ago, and he fears that the new owner might raise the rent when his lease runs out in two years. "My uncle said to me, 'This place had a birthday; it was born,'" Mr. Albrizio said. "And everything that’s born dies. It's just the way it is. Nothing lasts forever."

Glad they found space here... and just maybe, their old neighbor, Bleecker Bob's, will find a new home here too...

Design studio moving to empty Avenue A storefront

Obscura Antiques and Oddities opened at 207 Avenue A a few weeks ago... they'll soon have a new neighbor at a nearby empty storefront between 12th Street and 13th Street ... 203 Avenue A will be the new home of an The Original Champions of Design, an independent branding and design agency. There currently have space on East 12th Street...

Noted

Ad spotted on First Avenue for restaurant/bar/lounge Sons of Essex down on Essex Street...

Rejected headlines:
• Choke your chicken at Sons of Essex
• The Waffle and Cock Show
• And now, a photo of an ad showing a woman suggestively biting a waffle and clutching poultry between her legs while squatting

The Pudgie's-Nathan's-Arthur Treacher's canopy arrives on First Avenue

On Saturday afternoon, workers put up the new sidewalk canopy thing for the incoming Pudgie's-Nathan's-Arthur Treacher's action-packed combo at the site of the former King Gyro between Third Street and Fourth Street.

And does it seem strange that the canopy doesn't actually go to the restaurant's front door?

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Weekend leftovers

[Third Street and Avenue A]

[Second Avenue near 10th Street]

[Avenue A and Ninth Street this morning]

["State of Grace," set around St. Patrick's Day in Hell's Kitchen, on TV last night]

A little help here please?

Hey, c'mon guys. This isn't funny anymore. Can you please let me out. Guys? Anyone?

Second Street between the Bowery and Second Avenue... photo by Bobby Williams.

Revisiting: Ulli Rimkus and Max Fish

[Joann Jovinelly]

This past week, we posted a two-part series by East Village-based writer Joann Jovinelly on Ulli Rimkus and the beginning of her bar, longtime LES favorite Max Fish.

In case you missed it...

The art evolution of Ulli Rimkus and Max Fish (Thursday)

From Tin Pan Alley to Max Fish (Friday)

DOH temporarily closes Hot Kitchen

~evilsugar25 pointed out in the comments yesterday that new EV Grieve favorite Hot Kitchen on Second Avenue and Sixth Street got DOH'd ... the notice is dated Friday. Apparently the paperwork hasn't been filed online — didn't see a report at the DOH website just yet... Regardless, we'll be back when they reopen...

How was your St. Patrick's Day?

All in all yesterday was pretty fun. (Too bad St. Patrick's Day doesn't always fall on a Saturday!) In case you missed it, several neighborhood bars had drink specials. And keeping the budget-minded in mind, bars also offered free entertainment and keep-sake souvenirs. It was a little reminiscent of Bourbon Street in New Orleans, except without the humidity and ugly architecture. (If we want to look at old French buildings, we'll simply travel to the country of French and see the real thing.)

Did it get a little loud at times? Sure! But it was St. Patrick's Day! It's fun! Or are you so old that you don't remember what fun is? Anyway, New York City is loud! It always has been. If you don't like it, then move to New Mexico or someplace where it's not loud and be with the other smelly hippies.

All photos by Bobby Williams.

Noted

Seventh Street and Avenue A. Sums up the day pretty well.

Thanks to EV Grieve reader Chris F. for the photo.

9:09 p.m., Avenue B, March 17

9:08 p.m., East Sixth Street, March 17

And later at McSorley's

Late afternoon... Photos by Bobby Williams...

Earlier.

2:20 p.m., Avenue A, March 17

Photo by Shawn Chittle.

Save Kate's Joint on Avenue B

A campaign is underway to help save Kate's Joint, the vegetarian restaurant on Avenue B and East Fourth Street. Here's the background on indiegogo:

Kate’s Joint, vegetarian restaurant and bar, has been a staple in New York City’s East Village since 1996. Solely owned and operated by neighborhood native Kate Halpern, who dreamt to create an affordable restaurant to serve the community she grew up in. Kate’s Joint has grown to become much more than just a business, it is a home for locals and travelers a like, a place to bring family and friends, and to meet new ones.

Unfortunately, with the changing neighborhood and economic recession Kate’s Joint has seen a fall in business and rise in costs. Kate is currently in arrears with the landlord. Eviction notices have been sent, court appearances have been made, and if a substantial amount of money is not raised by April 11th, the next court date, the doors will shut permanently at Kate’s Joint. The East Village will lose another neighborhood landmark.

Anyone who has ever met Kate knows how hard she has worked over the past 15 years, and how dedicated she is to this business. She has many plans to increase business, including transforming a section of the restaurant in to a bakery featuring vegan and gluten free baked goods, reaching a new market of morning commuters who would be able to grab a cup of coffee and a vegan muffin on their way to work. That being said, first thing is first, fighting off this eviction!

The Impact

This is not just about saving Kate’s Joint; it is about preserving the East Village. It is about preserving small, female owned businesses. Don’t let Avenue B turn in to a row of Starbucks and banks; help keep small businesses alive!


What We Need & What You Get

We need at least $30,000 to go to back rent. While we are hopping to raise the majority of this through donations and fundraisers, we realize that may not be possible. We are also in talks with other funding sources, including loans and investors.

Read the rest of the post here. Owner Kate Halpern explains the perks of a contribution there too...

Blockbuster closes tomorrow; last chance to buy the store's fire extinguisher

As we first reported, the Blockbuster in the Red Square shops on East Houston closes tomorrow...

...and when they say everything must go, they mean it.

Hope there's not a small fire inside the store today.

Previously.