Lancelotti Housewares is closing on Avenue A

After a 25-year presence on Avenue A, Lancelotti Housewares is closing its doors this fall. 

EVG correspondent Stacie Joy reports that co-owners Michael Isaacs (below left) and Jeff Chatterton are moving to Dallas to be closer to family, and plans are in the works to open a similar concept/new home-goods store there. 

The couple just closed on their dream home, but they will miss NYC, they said...

The two bought the store from Linda Heidinger, who launched the business in 1996, five years ago. (Isaacs had worked several years at Lancelotti and at Alphabets, Heidinger's other store.) 

Isaacs and Chatterton expanded their retail space with a carefully curated selection of home goods here at 66 Avenue A between Fourth Street and Fifth Street in 2018.

The closing sales begin today when Lancelotti opens at noon ...

Lancelotti's last day is expected to be mid-to-late October...

You can find updates on the shop's Instagram account. Lancelotti is open Tuesday-Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

Lancelotti, always a reliable spot to pick up a gift, will be missed.

Updated 2:30 p.m. 

Closing signage is up... and everything is 30 percent off in the store...

Ergot Records opens TODAY on 2nd Street

Ergot Records debuts today at 32 E. Second St. (next to Anyway Cafe) between Second Avenue and the Bowery. 

Founder Adrian Rew is expanding his experimental imprint Ergot Records from a label to a store.

"By opening in a neighborhood that once overflowed with vinyl delights and keeping the shop spacious enough for performances, mixing sessions, and other events, I hope to help keep the energies of these vital cultures flowing," said Rew, who has also worked at A-1 Records on Sixth Street. "New York has been a unique hotbed of spirited multicultural musical innovation ... so the shop will reflect that diversity with selections that range from jazz, salsa, punk, disco, hip-hop, and house to the avant-garde, minimalism, experimental music, and records by visual artists." 

For now, Ergot's inventory will predominantly feature used vinyl and cassettes. However, Rew plans to broaden the stock in the months ahead with choice titles in new music and related books and print materials. 

During this grand-opening weekend, the shop hosts several DJs inside the space (find a listing here).

Shop hours:

Wednesday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Friday-Saturday: Noon-8 p.m. 

Sunday: noon-6 p.m.

You can find the Ergot Records Instagram account here. 

Stromboli and Dan & John's remain closed

One month ago today, we posted about the temporary closures at neighboring businesses Stromboli and Dan & John's on First Avenue at St. Mark's Place. (Both quick-serve spots were closed a week before our post.)

In the past month, a lot of people have asked about or pointed out these closures. We don't have any updates, unfortunately. 

As previously noted, we were told that there's a gas-line issue with the building at 83 St. Mark's Place/135 First Ave. The gas issue impacts the building's residents as well, sources said.

Dan & John's left a hopeful message for its patrons... stating that this location "will be back open soon."

With the recent start of the college football and NFL seasons, it's High Wing Season. The Dan & John's outpost in Murray Hill is open...

Photos yesterday by Steven

Thursday's parting shot

BYOD (Bring Your Own Dinner) outside your favorite empty lot at 89 First Ave. this evening... 

(Back story: The tables were from one of the Indian restaurants, where it looked like some students were filming something or another... thanks Goggla!)

Branding the tree pit sinkhole on 6th Street

As noted earlier this month, the heavy rains that Tropical Storm Ida produced caused a tree pit sinkhole on Sixth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... there's a partial sidewalk collapse as well outside Awash at No. 338.

The sidewalk is awaiting repairs... in the meantime, someone recently decided to brand this spot — welcome to the di [sic] Blasio Spider Hole!

Midday break from Tompkins Square Park

Thanks to Robert Miner for the photo today... 

Updated: 

Derek Berg shared this moment from the piano...

 

Ruffian set for expansion on 7th Street

Ruffian is expanding on Seventh Street.

The wine bar and cafe that serves a mostly vegetarian-focused menu is taking over the storefront next door here at 125 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

Ruffian's name appears on this month's CB3-SLA docket for a wine-beer license for the new space. (The item received administrative approval based on their method of operation.) 

Moshe Schulman, a managing partner at Ruffian (and Kindred on Sixth Street), told us that with the expansion, they will have 10-12 more indoor seats for patrons and room for about four at a drink rail where they can also serve food.

Patrons aside, the addition provides more room for food preparation. (While the storefronts share an address, they do not actually connect.)

"The extra space allows us to prep appropriately for the demand that we meet on a weekly basis," he said. "This will allow us more refrigeration space and a bigger oven. In addition, it will allow us to expand the menu a bit. We will add oysters and Crudo-type dishes when the kitchen buildout is complete — hopefully by early October."

Schulman said that the expanded Ruffian, a Bib Gourmand selection the past two years, will allow them to offer special events or wine classes that they couldn't host in their current 400-foot space.

The east storefront here at No. 125 was previously home to Big Gay Ice Cream, whose founders, Doug Quint and Bryan Petroff, said goodbye to the space in January after 10 years in business. 

Schulman said they received permission to extend Ruffian's outdoor seating upon learning that the shop would not be returning. 

"So it made sense for us to take over the interior space as well," he said.

Image via @ruffian_nyc

Green Garden Buffet closes on 9th Street

Green Garden Buffet has closed here at 332 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue (thanks to Steven for the photos) ... 

A note on the door from owner Tamika Gabaroum cites a "decrease in business" for the closure... 

Gabaroum opened the buffet-style spot in July 2020... serving what she billed as healthy French food. (An EVG reader described it as Chadian, as Gabaroum is originally from Chad.)

Gabaroum is a former public health advocate with the Peace Corps who served in UN Peacekeeping Missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She was an early recipient of a loan in the summer of 2019 as part of the East Village Revitalization Loan Fund for small business owners. (You can read more about the partnership with City Councilmember Carlina Rivera and community advocates here and here.)

Unfortunately, opening a buffet-style restaurant without seating during a pandemic proved to be too much.

Gabaroum had said opening a restaurant in NYC was a dream of hers. She will continue with catering work. 

Renovations appear complete at McKinley Playground

The $3-million renovation of the McKinley Playground on Fourth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue looks to be complete. 

Work started last September here adjacent to The Neighborhood School (PS 363) and Star Academy (PS 63). 

The reconstruction yielded a new playground, "comfort station" and spray shower as well as safety surfacing, benches, lighting, play equipment, etc.

Funding for the project came via the Manhattan Borough President's Office and City Council. The idea-gathering phase for the playground's improvements dated to June 2017.

Feeling the need to reduce the speed on 4th Street

As a follow-up to yesterday's post from Second Street... the DOT Bump Team was out today on Fourth Street, where the city is putting in speed reducers — two per block — between Avenue A and Avenue D. 

It looks like they only got to put down the bumps between A and B... and one between B and C. 

And as EVG regular Salim noted, these bumps look less pronounced than the ones on Second Street...

Also, here are some DOT trucks on the job today courtesy of Salim...

EVG Etc.: Remembering the 'country doctor' of Avenue D; Scoping out the Feast of San Gennaro

Photo on 7th Street by Derek Berg 

• Remembering the "country doctor" of Avenue D (The New York Times)

• RIP Phil Schaap, Grammy-winning jazz DJ and host of the Charlie Parker Festival in Tompkin's Square Park (The New York Times ... thanks to Allen Semanco for the link)

• So far in 2021, 189 people have been killed by vehicles in NYC compared to 150 at the same time last year — the latest victim was a 3 month old in Clinton Hill (Gothamist) 

• Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in the neighborhood (Off the Grid) 

• "New York will no longer be anti-business" — Eric Adams (City Limits) 

• The simple and delicious burgers at 7th Street Burgers (Grub Street ... previously on EVG)

• Pete Wells likes the far-ranging menu choices at Soothr on 13th Street (The New York Times) 

• Film series celebrates the publication of composer, musician and writer Alan Licht's new book "Common Tones." Screenings include "Two-Lane Blacktop" and "The King of Marvin Gardens" (Anthology Film Archives) 

• The 95th annual Feast of San Gennaro starts tomorrow (6sqft) 

• A look back at the band 3 Teens Kill 4 (Dazed) 

• Checking out summertime cicadas (Laura Goggin Photography) 

• An end-of-summer party at the East River Amphitheater on Saturday (East River Park Action)

Eco-friendly A Sustainable Village opens on 9th Street

Photos by Steven

A Sustainable Village is now open at 318 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

This Zero Waste Shop and Refillery is the creation of local residents Jaclyn Roster (below left) and Em Hynes....

Here's more via the shop's website: 

Our mission at A Sustainable Village is to support our community in making small, sustainable changes that are both good for you and the environment. We've taken the Zero Waste Pledge to reduce plastic waste by choosing sustainable essential products and living a low-waste lifestyle. Our motto is progress not perfection! Little steps can lead to a big impact. We invite all to help fight Climate Change and reduce plastic waste from our city.

A Sustainable Village sells several plastic-free essentials for the kitchen and bathroom ... 

The big draw so far is the shop's refill station... offering a variety of soaps and cleaning products... you can bring in your own container or use one of their free upcycled jars...

A Sustainable Village is open Tuesday-Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. You can follow them on Instagram here. 

The Main Event set for Avenue B

The Main Event, a new gallery-events space, is opening soon at 42 Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street. 

Karla Lockhart and Jay Bulger, an East Village resident, are running the venue. Lockhart described it this way to EVG contributor Stacie Joy: "The Main Event is not just an art gallery or a place to buy high-end vintage memorabilia, but will also be a space for conversations and events necessary for these changing times in the 20s." 

The first show is set to debut in October and feature photos of the late Lee "Scratch" Perry, whom Bulger once lived with and wrote about for Rolling Stone. Expect to find Bulger's photos of Perry and some other ephemera of the legendary reggae and dub producer. 

You can follow The Main Event's Instagram account for opening updates.

Spotting a Spotted Lanternfly, kill! kill!

We've had several recent sightings of the (dreaded!) Spotted Lanternfly ... an EVG reader shared this photo from the other day on the northeast corner of Second Avenue and Fourth Street. 

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and media outlets sounded the alarm about these little *@(%*s last month. 

And as Goggla recently noted, "The Spotted Lanternfly is beautiful, but unfortunately, extremely destructive. It feeds on sap which destroys plants and trees." 

According to the Parks Department: "if you see a Spotted Lanternfly, please squish and dispose of this invasive pest."

The Parks Department recommends these actions (after the kill):

• New Yorkers should also report any findings to NYC Parks by emailing Forest.Health@parks.nyc.gov. Please include photos, location of the infestation, and details of property damage.

• You can help prevent the spread of spotted lanternflies by refraining from moving firewood, outdoor furniture, and other outdoor items that may contain SLF egg masses. 

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation website has more info on how you can ID the Spotted Lanternfly. 

Feeling the need to reduce the speed on 2nd Street

This afternoon, DOT crews were out on Second Street between Avenue B and First Avenue to install "speed reducers" (aka speed bumps!) along the corridor, as EVG regular Salim points out...

And here's a look at the new WIP bump between Avenue A and First Avenue... a stretch where we've seen plenty of speeding TBH...

Looks like just one bump per block. Residents can request these speed reducers via the city at this link.

Updated 9/15

Fourth Street is getting speed bumps too. Post is here.

At the 50th anniversary of Albert's Garden on 2nd Street

On Sunday afternoon, Albert's Garden celebrated its 50th year here at 16-18 E. Second St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery. (Read more about its history here.)

Some longtime garden members and local residents were on hand for the festivities ... as was EVG contributor Stacie Joy, who shared these photos...

You can check out the garden yourself during these posted open hours... 

Sunday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. 

Monday: * when the gate is open

Tuesday: 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. 

Wednesday: * when the gate is open 

Thursday: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. 

Friday: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. 

Saturday: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Village Voices, a new street exhibit, recognizes trailblazing neighborhood icons

Photos by Steven

Village Voices is a new street exhibition via Village Preservation honoring downtown trailblazers and their legacies ... and you can find four of the installations on the fence along St Mark's Church in-the-Bowery on Second Avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street. 

Featured artists here are Patti Smith, Charlie Parker, W.H. Auden and Joan Mitchell. Each name is linked to an audio overview of the artists as well as biographical information.

You can find a map with all the installations in the area right here.

Brown paper on the windows at the former Odessa on Avenue A

Photo by Steven

Former Odessa Watchers™ noted the arrival yesterday of brown paper on the front windows at the old diner at 119 Avenue A. 

As you may know, Superiority Burger has signed a lease for the address here between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place, first reported by Grub Street last month.

Brooks Headley, the owner of the all-vegetarian quick-serve spot on Ninth Street, told Grub Street's Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld that he's not changing a thing:

"Odessa has always kinda been my dream space," he says. What's so dreamy about it is that besides being big, it comes completely furnished and ready to go. "It's not old and dusty and gross and needing upgrades," he says. "I find it completely beautiful — the soda counter, the satellite bar, the cash register station. I don't plan to change it at all."

So the paper on the windows is likely to provide a little privacy and keep the Former Odessa Watchers™from obsessing over every little detail. (Sample: That pen was not on the table yesterday. Also, we forgot to report that the Sanity Inspection Grade, an A, and assorted signage were removed from the front windows several weeks ago. Hopefully, all this is in the Diner Hall of Fame.)

Headley previously said that the move from Ninth Street will be several months down the road. (Given the current supply-chain issues, it may take longer for any new kitchen equipment to arrive.)

Once the new home of Superiority Burger is up and running, they'll first launch a dinner service before opening it up later for lunch and breakfast.

In July 2020, longtime manager Dennis Vassilatos said that Odessa was shutting down after a prolonged slump in business due to the pandemic. (Odessa Restaurant opened in this space in April 1995. The original Odessa, the longtime favorite that dated to the mid-1960s, closed next door in August 2013.)

However, closer to the last day, co-owner Steve Helios told Gothamist that Odessa was only closing temporarily, that the space would be renovated. The building's landlord is Odessa partner Mike Skulikidis. The closing turned out to be more than temporary.

Superiority Burger opened in the East Village in June 2015.