Lease termination notice at Third Rail Coffee; Future You Cafe has closed

An EVG reader points us to legal documents on the door at Third Rail Coffee on 10th Street just west of Second Avenue ... there is a Notice of Termination...



The paperwork states that rent is due for April, May and June on the storefront, an amount that totals nearly $26,000. Third Rail Coffee had closed at the start of the NY PAUSE in March.

Not sure how all this might play out: Gov. Cuomo announced in May that he had extended the state’s eviction moratorium through August, though critics have said the new version of the order is weaker, and favors landlords.

Per City Limits:

[T]enant and housing advocacy groups say the fine print of that order will allow for eviction proceedings to move forward through the New York courts e-filing system, increasing the burden of proof on tenants to show they could not pay rent because of COVID-19 related financial hardship.

Meanwhile, in other coffee-related news, Future You Cafe is officially closed on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue...



Owner Roberto Levinson, who opened the shop here in November 2018, announced the decision to close at the end of May on Instagram.

As the economy is slowly reopening, I have taken a lot of time to carefully assess the current situation, including the health risks involved, as well as the economic hardships most businesses in our industry are going through. After carefully deliberating for weeks, it is with great sadness I must announce our decision not to reopen.

A sunflower in the sun

Currently at the most photographed spot in the neighborhood ... a lone sunflower on 10th Street at Stuyvesant...

Noted

On Monday, we noted the rather vague schematic that arrived on the plywood where a 10-story office building will rise on the northwest corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

Good news: Some additions have now been revealed... giving it a little more of a St. Mark's Place look...

East Village Vintage Collective has reopened its doors; ditto for 9th St. Vintage and Spark Pretty

After a few weeks of curbside pickups and sidewalk sales, East Village Vintage Collective (EVVC) will open its doors for business today here at 545 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

In an Instagram post, owner Maegan Hayward said they'll test the vintage waters this week to see how it goes. Ahead of the reopening, they've rearranged the shop's displays to make it safer and more accessible for patrons to browse.

Per Instagram:

We’ll have hand sanitizer & gloves available for all customers. We ask that you don’t come in without a mask on and that you observe social distancing while shopping

Can’t wait to see some familiar & new faces and to show you all the work we’ve done to the store!

During the past three months, EVVC closed their Jacksonville outpost to focus on the original shop here. They've also been creative, teaming up with 70 local artists to launch Art Through Vintage, a collaborative online auction.

For now, EVVC will be open 1-6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

In other vintage store news, 9th St. Vintage is now open from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday... and on the same Ninth Street block between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... Spark Pretty is open from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.


[Via @sparkpretty]

At B&H Dairy: 'A Home for Everyone'

[Via @bandhdairy]

Antonio DiMeglio and Lianna Rada, recent NYU grads and East Village residents, are the creators of the food site Eat Tonight NYC.

The two created a 10-minute short titled "B&H Dairy: A Home for Everyone," a love letter of sorts to the 82-year-old lunch counter on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

Hear from Ola, Leo and Mike... and get in the mood to order a grilled cheese on challah.

2nd Street post the big sinkhole swallow

[Photo by Il Posto Accanto]

As previously noted, a sinkhole opened up on Second Street between Avenue A and First Avenue late Saturday night... nearly swallowing a parked (and empty!) SUV in the process.

While the block is open to through westbound traffic, a large Con Ed presence remains on the scene...









A cause was never made public. Residents had said there was a sewage problem on the block leading up to the sinkhole's arrival.

The PokéSpot has closed

After nearly four years on the corner of Fourth Avenue and 12th Street, the PokéSpot has closed. A for rent sign hangs in the front window. (Thanks to EVG reader Sheila for the photo!) They had not been open since the COVID-19 PAUSE.

The PokéSpot arrived in the summer of 2016 in a time of NYC's poke-sanity.

The poké market has thinned out a bit since then with the closure of PokéVillage on 14th Street in 2018 and now the PokéSpot.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The PokéSpot set for former Subway (sandwich shop) space on 4th Avenue

[Updated] These 3 dry cleaners have closed

[Photo by Vinny & O]

Three neighborhood dry cleaners have not made it out of the COVID-19 crisis.

Best Ave. B Dry Cleaners has closed on Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street.

There's a sign on the front door instructing customers to call or text 347-833-3400 to pick up any items inside the shop.

Meanwhile, a for rent sign now hangs in the window of the former AAA Cleaners at 216 Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street... they had closed at the outset of the COVID-19 PAUSE...



Exquisite Cleaners on First Avenue at Third Street closed earlier in June.

Updated 5 p.m.



Heads up from a reader... Danny Cleaner's at 159 Second Ave. (on 10th Street) has closed...



...merging their business with Lois Cleaners on the southeast corner of 10th Street and Third Avenue...

6 posts from June

[As seen on Avenue A]

A mini month in review...

• Curb your enthusiasm: A look at more East Village businesses with their doors back open (June 19)

• East Village volunteers expand their outreach to feed more neighbors in need (June 18)

• An appreciation: East Village Books (June 9)

• "You are here profiting off of our fucking pain" (June 3)

• Scenes from the start of last night's peaceful protest on Avenue D (June 2)

• Here's the moment of the break-in early this morning at Alphabet City Beer Co. (June 1)

Alphabets swan song

As we reported yesterday, after a 35-year presence on Avenue A, Alphabets has closed. Owner Linda Heidinger is moving the novelty-gift shop to Palm Springs, Calif.

Earlier today, workers removed the sign here between Fourth Street and Fifth Street. The shop moved here in 2014 after a previous long tenure at 115 Avenue A next to Ray's.

Based on the 30 comments on yesterday's post, Alphabet's will be missed.

Thanks to Vinny & O for the photo!

Former Haveli Banjara space is being converted into an apartment on 2nd Avenue

The Haveli Banjara Indian Restaurant is officially done — at least at 100 Second Ave.

The restaurant has been closed since late October here between Fifth Street and Sixth Street. A "Sorry we are closed today" sign greeted potential customers for months.



Recently approved work permits with the city lists the following work happening at the address: "Convert first floor eating and drinking establishment into a residential apartment."

Public records show that the building changed hands in March for $6.1 million ... with the Highpoint Property Group listed as the new owner. The Group's other East Village properties include The Slater at 174-176 First Ave. and The Topanga at 202 Avenue A. And in keeping with the the theme, No. 100 goes by The Callahan.

One EVG source said that the previous landlord died. The building had been on the market since September 2017, with an original asking price of $8.6 million.

In November 2017, the restaurant's staff told patrons that they would be closing in early 2018, with the hopes of finding another location nearby.

Haveli was the oldest surviving Indian restaurant in the East Village, opening in 1987. Banjara moved in here in November 2013.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Haveli Banjara Indian Restaurant said to be closing and relocating early next year

Nolita Pizza leaves 2nd Avenue

After nearly a year serving up some solid slices, Nolita Pizza has left its East Village outpost at 128 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

Saturday was the last day in business for the pizzeria, which is now operating from a newer outpost down on Kenmare Street. (H/T Lola Sáenz!)


[Photo yesterday by Steven]

We reached out to owner Tony Salihaj for comment. Unofficially, we heard that it was a combination of the COVID-19-related slowdown in business bumping up against the high rent for the space.

Kati Roll Company bowed out here in April 2019 after just under three years in business.

The longtime previous tenant at the address, The Stage, the 35-year-old lunch counter, closed in March 2016. Stage owner Roman Diakun had been involved in an ongoing legal/eviction battle with Icon Realty, who had taken over as the landlord.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Stage Restaurant will not be reopening

Another crazy stormy, then another double rainbow

[Photo by Caoimhe Ní Chonchúir]

For the second consecutive day... we were treated to an intense early evening storm (today complete with hail) ... and then a double rainbow somewhere over the photogenic ConEd Power Plant on 14th and C...


[Photo by Jeanne Krier]

And a few other views... via the BagelGuy...



... and Danny...

This parakeet has been spotted in the wilds of Tompkins Square Park

[Photo courtesy of Dennis Edge]

In the past week to 10 days, there have been multiple sightings of this parakeet, a mix of blues, greens and yellows, in Tompkins Square Park... the Park's budding ornithologists are unsure if the bird is someone's pet MIA ... or if its owner decided to abandon the parakeet on the way out of town...

H/T Steven!

Alphabets has left the East Village

[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

After 35 years on Avenue A, Alphabets has left the East Village.

Owner Linda Heidinger is moving the novelty-gift shop to Palm Springs, Calif. While there won't be a physical NYC presence, the store's new website will be active for online purchases.


[Staff pack up the shop on Saturday]

In 2014, Alphabets moved from 115 Avenue A to 64 Avenue A. (This coincided with a rent hike courtesy of new 115 landlord Steve Croman.)

Heidinger opened Alphabets in 1985.


[64 Avenue A earlier this month]

Updated 1 p.m.

Here's the official post via Instagram...

View this post on Instagram

After 35 years on Avenue A, Alphabets is packing up and moving to Palm Springs. We’re also packing up decades of gratitude for generations of Alphabets shoppers who love ya, supported us, and kept us here. While gone from New York City, you can still shop with us online at Alphabetsnyc.com, and come visit us in Palm Springs. Evermore thanks for loving Alphabets as much as I do. -Linda

A post shared by Alphabets NYC (@alphabetsnyc) on Jun 29, 2020 at 9:12am PDT

Essex Card Shop is now open in its new Avenue A home

As previously noted, Essex Card Shop has moved from its longtime home at (the city-owned) 39 Avenue A one block to the north at 47 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street...

The new outpost is now open, and EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the space where co-owner Jayant Patel was at the front counter...



...and here's a look around as the staff continues to stock the stationery shop, which will also include a few of the household items that the previous store here — 99¢ and Up Magic Deals! — carried...













... and from Saturday, a few photos of the old storefront being packed up...









Previously on EV Grieve:
"Desperate Endeavors" leads to the Essex Card Shop on Avenue A

Completion date for new office building at 3 St. Mark's Place is February 2022

As we've been reporting in recents weeks, work has commenced on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place, site of a future 10-story office building.



New on the plywood: A vague schematic of the future structure...





The signage also offers a piece of news: the completion is listed as February 2022.

And for a more detailed view of the all-new 3 St. Mark's Place ... as seen in this before and after...



The total square footage of the building has yet to be determined. Cutting and pasting from before:

The City Planning Commission will cast their vote at a later date as part of the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure. They are expected to approve the plan to transfer air rights from the landmarked 4 St. Mark's Place to the new development across the street at 3 St. Mark's Place. In issues such as this, City Council usually follows the lead of the local Councilmember. (Carlina Rivera spoke out against the transfer plan in in early March.)

With the air-rights transfer, developer Real Estate Equities Corporation (REEC) would be allowed to build 8,386 square feet larger than the current zoning allows.

Regardless of an extra 8,000 square feet, construction will still happen. As Gothamist reported in early March, the project's architect, Morris Adjmi, emphasized a building of a similar height size would be built as-of-right.

REEC picked up the 99-year leasehold for the properties here for nearly $150 million in November 2017.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

• Concern over potential air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue