Photos last night by Stacie Joy
A tipster pointed out earlier this week that KC Gourmet Empanadas has not been open lately here at 38 Avenue B between Third Street and Fourth Street.
And yesterday, a notice arrived on the front door showing that the Marshal paid a visit, and the landlord is now
in legal possession of the premises...
The owners were also behind
El Carnaval, a Panamanian restaurant and bar, right next door at No. 40. That establishment is now permanently shuttered after going dark last summer ... a for-rent sign hangs on the storefront. We understand an applicant will be on next month's CB3-SLA docket for a new liquor license for the space.
El Carnaval was accused of serving liquor without a license in the summer of 2021. There's a video from the meeting
here. (El Carnaval is the first applicant.)
We heard from multiple neighbors in the summer of 2020 — when restaurants expanded to sidewalk and curbside spaces — who complained about blaring music via DJs coming from outside the quick-serve spot.
According to
the minutes from the June 2021 Community Board 3 meeting, KC Gourmet Empanadas "has been egregiously non-compliant for a year. Following community complaints, the CB3 office told them the applicants should not be playing loud music in the streets and that they were non-compliant with their outdoor seating, but the applicants did not display concern for how this behavior was negatively impacting residents."
Parks officials have said that a malfunctioning boiler and a broken pipe in the basement of the Park's fieldhouse are to blame for the closure.
