Has Spiegel closed?

 

A lot of readers have asked about the status of Spiegel, the corner cafe at 26 First Ave. and Second Street.

The space was serving takeout and delivery for part of the summer before going dark in early August. While there hasn't been an official notice about a closure on any fronts, the Spiegel phone is no longer in service. 

Workers were also spotted removing the signage on Sept. 9...

 

Owner Shmulik Avital opened Spiegel in March 2014.

And Spiegel is just one of a handful of local bars-restaurants that have remained dark in recent weeks-months, prompting questions whether the businesses will ever return.

Elsewhere in NYC: Pearl Diner reopens for curbside dining

Going outside the usual coverage zone for some positive restaurant news: EVG favorite Pearl Diner is now open for curbside dining as well as takeout and delivery.

The diner at 212 Pearl St. reopened this past weekend for the first time since mid-March, as the Downtown Alliance Blog reports. (And thank you for letting me know!)

An adjusted menu of basic, diner-style classics, as well as the restaurant’s well-loved breakfast menu, is now available for in-person service as well as delivery via apps like GrubHub and Seamless.

The Saturday reopening was a joyous occasion for longtime fans and newcomers alike. "They were all regular customers that showed up," [owner Alex] Pritsos said. “"We also had one or two tourists from Italy. Apparently one of the hotels nearby is now hosting some Italian tourists."

If you happen to be down in the Financial District, the Pearl is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m to 4 p.m., and until 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Pearl had been on the endangered list. In December 2018, reports surfaced that a a new 21-story would rise here. However, the building permits were never approved by the city (as of January 2019).

The Pearl opened in 1962, and is one of the last standalone diners in Manhattan. As Nick at Scouting NY said about the Pearl's neon sign: "at night, [it] makes New York City look like New York City."


[Photo from 2010 by James & Karla Murray]

Thursday's parting shots

Students, parents and teachers from District 1 gathered on Seventh Street and Avenue B this afternoon to rally for a safer return to school this fall ... EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared a few photos from the start of the March for Our Schools and Our Lives ... which eventually ended at City Hall...

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest NY See panel, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around NYC ... as well as political observations on current events...

Jules Bistro will not be reopening on St. Mark's Place

Jules Bistro, the casual French spot at 65 St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue, will not be reopening coming out of the COVID-19 PAUSE.

Workers were packing up the space yesterday, as EVG regular Lola Sáenz reports.

Jules, which opened in 1993, offered free live jazz every night... and with its French film posters on the walls and red leather booths, always offered a throwback getaway on St. Mark's Place... Well-regarded restaurateur Georges (Café Noir, Bar Tabac, Cercle Rouge) Forgeois said that there wasn't really much room for outdoor dining here and running the place with 25-percent indoor capacity starting on Sept. 30 wasn't going to cut it.  

RIP Jules.

The latest obstacle for Punjabi Grocery and Deli

Punjabi Grocery and Deli at 114 E. First St. between Avenue A and First Avenue never seems to be able to catch a break when it comes to construction projects. 

This week, workers erected a sizable sidewalk bridge for a 9-story residential building slowly going up next door. The hulking shed obscures Punjabi's neighbor, Hollywood Nails & Spa. During the day, the construction activity doesn't make this an appealing spot to walk by ... or dine on one of the benches outside Punjabi.

As previously reported, there have been concerns through the years about Punjabi's future. The never-ending East Houston Reconstruction Project finally wrapped up at the end of 2018 — just six years behind schedule.

For nearly nine years, the construction zone eliminated parking spaces for cab drivers, who were a sizable share of Punjabi's business, making it nearly impossible for them to stop in for a meal or break. Those who did stop faced getting a ticket. Plus, there has been an overall decline of cab drivers in the Lyft-Uber era. 

Meanwhile, any remaining cab drivers will still have challenges stopping by ... the taxi relief stand that finally arrived in July 2019 along Houston Street has been removed to accommodate the ongoing construction next door.

This build has been a slow-go to date. The plywood arrived in May 2018, and workers have only just erected the makings of the first level after two years...

The inexpensive eats favorite reopened on July 10 after being closed for four months during the COVID-19 PAUSE. Late last month, Punjabi Grocery and Deli fan Jessica Morgulis launched a crowdfunding campaign to help keep the longtime favorite up and running.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• How you can help Punjabi Grocery & Deli stay in business

• Never-ending construction continues to hurt Punjabi Grocery & Deli

• Taxi Relief Stand arrives on Avenue A; Punjabi Grocery & Deli relieved

• Concern again for Punjabi Grocery & Deli on 1st Street

• At long last a taxi relief stand for East Houston and 1st Street outside Punjabi Grocery & Deli

These local streets will now be open during the week for dining

Mayor de Blasio announced yesterday that 40 city streets participating in the Open Restaurants program on weekends can now operate during the week. 

Here's where you can find the daytime hours around here:

• Avenue B between Second Street and Third Street (Organizer: Becaf LLC aka Poco). Hours:  Mondays-Fridays noon-11 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays noon-11 p.m.

• Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue (Organizer: Derossi Global). Hours: Mondays-Fridays 4-11 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays noon-11 p.m.

• Bleecker Street between Mott Street and the Bowery (Organizer: Von Design Ltd). Hours: Tuesdays-Fridays 5-11 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays noon-11 p.m.

• Bond Street between Lafayette and the Bowery (Organizer: il Buco). Hours: Mondays-Fridays noon-11 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays noon-11 p.m.

The Open Restaurants program is set to end on Oct. 31st, but, as Gothamist noted, Mayor de Blasio has suggested that he wants to make it permanent, calling it "a stunning success." 

Wednesday's parting shot

As seen at the Neighborhood School/PS 63 on Third Street — "This Is Not Ventilation" on a window that only opens a few inches ... as teachers continue to protest in the days leading up to the start of in-person classes on Monday...  

Earlier today, a reporter asked the mayor about ventilation concerns here. Per NY1: "We will absolutely send the team back to PS 63 ... to see exactly what happened. And if any classroom is not up to snuff, it'll be taken out of circulation immediately. And it will not be used until it is fixed."

Photo via @robinmenikoff

Milking this police report for page views

And a report from the Citizen app today... the address is Ian Schrager's PUBLIC Hotel just below Houston on Chrystie... no word if this incident was over milk money. 😬 

Thank you to Salim for sharing this report!

Avenue B, 2 p.m., Sept. 16

A view of the sun this afternoon along Avenue B between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

As you've likely heard, smoke from wildfires in the Western United States reached NYC earlier this week, giving the sky a hazy and milky look during the day.

Upper level winds continue to spread smoke from the West Coast #wildfires across much of the northern half of the CONUS, reaching well into the Atlantic Ocean! Skies will continue to be hazy as a result. Meanwhile, #HurricaneSally is impacting portions of the Southeast. pic.twitter.com/LadTkwIs21

— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) September 16, 2020

"Meteorologists expect the graying effect to be ... present until the smoke is eventually pushed off the coast by a cold front on Friday," Gothamist reported.

After 46 years, the Ukrainian Sports Club has left the East Village

The Ukrainian Sports Club of New York moved away earlier this week from the East Village after 46 years at 122 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

Ulana Pryjmak, the Club's communications director, provided this background on the organization that hosted everything from banquets to book readings here...

For the last several months the location of the Ukrainian Sports Club of New York (YCK) has experienced extraordinary changes due to gentrification of our neighborhood thereby having very little interaction with its members. 

Moreover, our New York Ukrainians soccer team players find it difficult traveling into Manhattan. Our home base for our adult soccer games is in McCarren Park in Brooklyn, which is an area that would be a more appropriate and exciting new home for YCK.

In the past few years, we have taken several remarkable steps to remain here in Manhattan as this has been our home for the last 46 years. The YCK purchased the building at 122 Second Ave. in late 1974 upon selling our soccer field in Flushing, Queens. At that time, this building was a commercial one, fully rented, except for the ground and second floors with commercial and residential tenants on the 3rd, 4th and 5th floors. 

The club has meant the world to thousands of people over the last five decades. It always welcomed members and their guests with a smile. It is a unique location in the heart of the East Village.

Upon entering the building, you would walk down a long hallway with blue and yellow stripes (symbolizing the colors of the Ukrainian flag), to a lobby that has an amazing mural of printed articles and photographs of the NY Ukrainians soccer teams over the years. 

On the other side is an impressive wall of outstanding trophies that their athletic teams have earned and show off with pride. Climbing up a few steps would be a classic and timeless no-frills bar, playing sports on any or all of their 3 TV monitors. 

Although we sold the building back in 2016, but remained in the back of the ground floor, the decision to move out of our Manhattan home has been a very difficult one. Our rental lease has expired and we are ready to find a new permanent location. We have many unforgettable memories here that we will hold on to forever.  

Rest assured, we have exciting changes ahead. We will continue to function with our respective adult and youth athletic programs during this transition and will wholeheartedly support you, our community, along the way. 

We will dearly miss our 122 Second Ave. home but look forward to finding another remarkable location for our organization to continue thriving for generations to come. 

Here are some photos from the move this week...
You can keep tabs on the Club via Instagram.

Reader report: Coyote Ugly looks to be taking the former Blind Pig space

As we first reported yesterday, Coyote Ugly permanently closed its home of 27 years at 153 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

Workers who were clearing out the space said that the saloon would be moving to 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

EVG reader Brian Van confirmed that Coyote Ugly was on this month's Community Board 6 agenda for a new license at 233 E. 14th St. — the former Blind Pig.

The Blind Pig, the sports bar/pub (home to Arsenal supporters in the English Premier League), closed after service in June 2019. As previously reported, the owners of the 13-year-old Blind Pig were hit with an untenable 50-percent rent increase.

In announcing the closure, Coyote Ugly CEO and founder Lil Lovell said that they there would be a new NYC Coyote Ugly. She didn't disclose the location, only saying that it will be “a little bit nicer” and have “better bathrooms.” 

Jewels is the new tenant for the former Ben & Jerry's space on St. Mark's Place

You may have noticed that Jewels recently moved a few storefronts to the east on St. Mark's Place ... they made the move to the larger space in early August, though the new sign just arrived for the body jewelry and piercing parlor here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (Thanks to Steven for the photo yesterday!)

They quickly took over 24 St. Mark's Place after Ben & Jerry's officially closed at the end of July. 

This also marks the first non-food/"dry" business at the address in nearly 50 years. No. 24 was the Ice Cream Connection in the early 1970s before the owners of Dojo opened the Japanese restaurant here in 1974. 

We've also had a Caffe Bene and Pinkberry and a few other things I'm forgetting here.

H/T Upper West Sider!

Pop's Eat-Rite debuts on St. Mark's Place

Pop's Eat-Rite, a plant-based burger joint from the Good Night Sonny-Wild Son team, opened yesterday at 123 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue. (First reported here.) 

Pop's is serving a classic smashburger, made using Impossible Meat. 

Per their website: "Our meatless menu is our updated take on a classic burger stand, with fries, veggie sides, vegan donuts, soft-serve, smoothies and frozen lemonade and will be entirely free of animal products. "

You can find the menu online here. Or gaze at this...

Moving forward, the quick-serve stop with a to-go window will be open from noon to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.

Earlier in 2019, the team at Endless Group Hospitality had plans for a steakhouse at No. 123 (most recently Mr. White). However, CB3's SLA committee nixed a full-liquor request for that spot in March 2019.

College Food Pantry now being offered at the Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish

College Food Pantry, which aims to help "address food insecurity among college students of all ages and backgrounds," opens this afternoon at the Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish on Avenue B and Ninth Street (pictured above).

Here's more via their website:

The College Student Pantry is a food pantry program providing groceries for any college or graduate student who needs them, regardless of financial situation or institutional affiliation. The idea for the pantry arose out of a recognition among students at NYU and the New School that student food insecurity is a significant and growing problem in New York. 

Students need to make an appointment for pickup. (Walk ups are OK too.) Moving forward, the service is available for students on the first and third Wednesdays of the month between 3 and 5 p.m.

The Pantry is in partnership with Trinity's Services and Food for the Homeless (SAFH) and PRiSM Progressive Student Ministry

The idea came from talking with community members and student activists who wanted to do something to address the needs of their fellow classmates. At NYU, more than 20 percent of students reported financial hardship affording food in 2018; at CUNY, 48 percent of students surveyed in 2019 had been food insecure in the past 30 days.

"I know it seems like a rite of passage to live off of ramen noodles, but we aren’t here to romanticize that kind of experience," an SAFH rep tells me. "The reality is that living off of ramen noodles and dollar pizza slices is not healthy. When your cupboards are bare and you skip meals to make your paycheck or student loan last, it’s not a good thing. Student food insecurity is a widespread issue, but the romanization of 'being young and poor' makes it an often obscured one."

SAFH has been serving meals to those in need in the neighborhood for more than 30 years.

Another day, another discarded microwave with a note

As seen on Seventh Street: "Have had this microwave since 2019 [Ed. note: or 2014????]. It works fine. A little rusty on the inside." Photo by Derek Berg. 

Previously. 

Showing a lot of heart on Avenue B

The other day someone spray painted a stupid message — not worth repeating — on the plywood of an empty storefront here on Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street.

Before long, Ian Dave Knife came along and painted an array of hearts over the words and added some much-needed color on the space...

Updated to note that Ian Dave Knife was the artist responsible for the hearts!

Final public hearing on a larger 3 St. Mark's Place coming soon

 

The final public hearing on the application to allow the air rights transfer to increase the size of the office building under construction at 3 St. Mark's Place is expected to happen on Sept. 24. According to Village Preservation, the hearing originally scheduled for today was postponed. 

Per Village Preservation:

In spite of overwhelming public opposition, in late August the City Planning Commission (consisting of appointees of the Mayor, the five borough presidents, and the Public Advocate) voted unanimously to approve the air rights transfer, adding thousands of square feet to the planned boutique tech office tower at this corner, long dubbed "the Gateway to the East Village."

However, to proceed, the transfer needs the blessing of City Council, and local CM Carlina Rivera already publically stated her opposition in early March. 

As we've been reporting in recents months, work has already commenced on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place, site of a future 10-story office building with an aggressive February 2022 completion date.

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

The original Coyote Ugly outpost closes; new location expected on 14th Street

The original Coyote Ugly at 153 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street has closed ... EVG regular Lola Sáenz spotted workers clearing out the space yesterday...

The saloon was said to be moving to new space on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. We're waiting on confirmation of the address. [Update: Looks like the former Blind Pig space.]

Meanwhile, the bar's CEO and founder, Lil Lovell, made the announcement on Saturday about the closure of the very first Coyote Ugly:

We are living in unprecedented times. In comparison to the global pandemic, violence stemming from racial inequality, the raging wildfires, etc., my news is comparatively small— but it is deeply personal and I would like to share it.

The original Coyote Ugly Saloon, on 1st Avenue in New York City, has closed its doors forever. We have been shuttered for 6 months in accordance with New York State Covid-19 restrictions and simply cannot continue to pay the rent. I want to thank all of the former employees, customers, friends, and family that made that little bar so very special. I celebrated so many memorable milestones within those walls. The bar — and you — will forever be part of who I am.

At the end of the video she teases a new NYC location — one with "better bathrooms."

Coyote Ugly opened here in January 1993...  the bar started expanding in 2001, first in Las Vegas, then later with several global franchises... spurred on perhaps by the cheesy cinematic classic of the same name. 

Funny fundraising business for the Sixth Street Community Center

There's a funny new way to help raise money for the Sixth Street Community Center.

An East Village resident is behind an ongoing series of outdoor comedy shows that serve as a fundraiser for the Center between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

The next show is tomorrow (Sept. 16) night. You can follow @sixthstreetcomedy for details. 

The first show — with very limited capacity — took place last week in a private backyard somewhere in the neighborhood. Seth Herzog hosted the show, with sets by Mark Normand, Jared Freid, Wil Sylvince, Corinne Fisher, Nimesh Patel, Derek Gaines and Liz Miele. Here are a few scenes...

Photos by Matt Salacuse