GNC closing its remaining East Village outpost

With nearly $1 billion in debt, GNC filed for bankruptcy last week, announcing that it may close nearly 1,200 shops.

The East Village outpost of the vitamin and dietary supplement company is one of those that will shut down. Closing signage is up at the location on First Avenue at 13th Street.

A GNC closed on Third Avenue in NYUville in July 2018.

Thanks to Pinch for the photo!

A new surface for Extra Place

[Photos from Saturday]

Been about 2.5 years since we mentioned anything about Extra Place, the pedestrian walkway off First Street between the Bowery and Second Avenue... workers recently replaced the concrete sidewalk...



And the space remains quiet. The main tenant back here, David Chang's Momofuku Ko, hasn't reopened yet from the COVID-19 PAUSE. The Japanese housewares boutique Nalata Nalata has the corner space and there's also a prep kitchen for Daniel Boulud at the end of the walkway.

Through the years, only Momofuku Ko has had any success in this former alley that ran behind CBGB. (Danny Fields photographed the Ramones for their third album, Rocket to Russia, here in 1977.)

As noted here through the years, a handful of restaurants and businesses have come and gone, such as Red Hook Lobster Pound.

In January 2007, reps for Avalon Bowery Place unveiled plans to make Extra Place "a slice of the Left Bank, a pedestrian mall lined with interesting boutiques and cafes."


[Tony's Place?]

Previously on EV Grieve:
• With new restaurant opening, will Extra Place finally become a dining destination?

• Extra Place now officially a Dead End

This evening's double rainbow

[Click to go big]

Well that was one helluva thunderstorm... and then the double rainbow on this Pride Sunday. Lauren of 7th Street shared the top photo...

And EVG reader Danny shared this from Ninth Street...



Another another photo via @cecilscheib...

Week in Grieview

[Photo on Avenue A by Vinny & O]

Posts from this past week included...

• How Henry Street Settlement is helping neighbors in need during the COVID-19 crisis (Tuesday)

• East Village Postal's raffle raised more than $20,000 for BLM-related charities (Monday)

• A letter about racial profiling and harassment in a residential building on 14th Street (Tuesday)

• A masked ball: At the start of the 2020 Drag March in Tompkins Square Park (Saturday)

• A second look at Phase II dining in the East Village (Thursday) Also: Now entering Phase II (Monday)

• Checking in on Blanche’s Lucy’s Tavern (Friday)

• St. Mark's Place at 3rd Avenue promises to be a hot construction mess for the next few years (Monday)

• This week's NY See panel (Thursday)

• Fireworks-related roof fires (Sunday... Friday)

• Activity at the former Eleven Consignment Boutique (Thursday)

• Checking in on Anwar Grocery (Wednesday)

• Primary Day with Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street (Tuesday)

• Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen is open this summer (Thursday)

• Nomad, the great restaurant on 2nd Avenue that has everything but the interest of food writers (Friday) Also: Cucina Di Pesce returns as a pop up at Nomad on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

• Today is the last day for the Essex Card Shop before a move up the block (Wednesday)

• First Lamb Shabu has closed on 14th Street (Monday)

• For those who survived remote learning (Friday)

... and it was a tough night for SUVs. Aside from the parked SUV that went into the sinkhole on Second Street between Avenue A and First Avenue last night... two parked along Avenue A had their back windows smashed in...




[SUV pics by Vinny & O]

... and The Long-Lost Intern of EV Grieve points out that someone probably nabbed the last of the Cellino & Barnes ads...


[14th Street at 3rd Avenue]

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(A return of the?) Dumpster of the day

For our 2-3* dumpster of the day fans. As seen on Bleecker at the Bowery.

*estimated

Noted

As seen on Sixth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Photo can also be used as a motivational screensaver for aspiring writers.

Sinkhole nearly swallows SUV on 2nd Street

Shortly after 1 a.m., a sinkhole opened on Second Street between Avenue A and First Avenue... nearly swallowing an SUV that had been parked on the south side of the roadway...



According to a report on the Citizen app, firefighters at the scene stated that the SUV was resting on a gas line.

As of this morning, the van had been removed... Con Ed and DEP workers have the street blocked off as repairs are underway...



Updated 12:30 p.m.

Per the Daily News:

Neighbors nearby complained that sinkhole was caused by an ongoing sewage problem. A few basements nearby the incident were flooded and still had standing water in them on Sunday morning.

“I’m telling everyone in our building not to flush their toilets because it backs up into our basement,” said John von Hartz, 87, who lives nearby and woke up to city workers trying to access the sewage line in his basement.

There wasn't any immediate cause for the sinkhole, per the DEP.

Thank you to our friends at Il Posto Accanto for the top photo!

A masked ball: At the start of the 2020 Drag March in Tompkins Square Park

The 26th annual Drag March took place last evening ... starting, as always, in Tompkins Square Park before participants made their way over along Ninth Street to Sheridan Square and then the Stonewall Inn... marking the start of Pride Weekend.

It was a much smaller, and more organic gathering this summer... there was social distancing and outfits incorporating face coverings (including a gas mask or two) as well plenty of support for Black Lives Matter ... EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these photos...