A look at East Village boutique Pink Lion, a recent arrival on 9th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Pink Lion is one of the newer businesses to open along the eclectic block of small specialty shops on Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

I recently stopped by to talk with Debbie Mangual, the owner, and Alex William, the shop's marketing and strategy director.

Mangual, originally from New Jersey, always dreamed of owning a shop in NYC... and it all came to fruition with the clothing boutique's opening at 318 E. Ninth St. this past fall...

Why did she choose the East Village? 

"I love the vibe ... the mix of cultures, young people with their own style. The East Village gives 1980s-1990s vibes," Mangual said.

Daily hours: 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

You can follow the shop on Instagram here.

Wednesday's parting shot

Thanks to EVG reader Sammy Silverstein for this wintertime scene in Tompkins Square Park...

Noted

ICYMI — Nike is releasing the Dunk Low "CBGB" model this year in tribute to the NYC institute on the Bowery, which closed in 2006. 

We first saw the item at Sneaker News the other day: 

The "NIKE" on the heel is modified to replicate the original CBGB font that stood on the awning. Behind the tongue are "Bleecker" (Nike spelled it incorrectly) and "Bowery," the cross-streets in which this venue stood for decades. The insoles are a messy mosaic of Nike stickers set to mimic the walls of the claustrophobic restrooms. 

No word on a release date. 

This isn't the brand's first shoe collaboration. You may recall the limited-edition 1460 Dr. Martens-CBGB boots.

A visit with Anne DeVita

Photos and story by Stacie Joy

For over 40 years, Anne DeVita served as manager of the First Avenue Laundry Center.

She presided over the day-to-day activities into her late 80s until the business closed for good in late 2022. (The owners first billed this as a renovation, but the three-building assemblage on the NW corner of First Avenue at Second Street was later predictably demolished to make way for luxury housing.) 

DeVita has been recovering from some recent health issues. 

Last week, her longtime friend and neighbor, Scooter LaForge, and I visited DeVita at her current home.

Unable to score the demanded requested McDonald's filet-o-fish and strawberry shake, LaForge instead brought DeVita a well-received pizza and chocolates as an early b-day treat. (She turns 92 this year.)

DeVita hopes to be able to return to her East Village apartment one of these days. She also thanked everyone for all the good wishes.

As we've noted, DeVita grew up in the neighborhood. Before entering the laundry business, she worked as a barmaid at the long-gone Club 17 on Avenue D and Third Street and a bar on 14th Street that she described as having an upstairs neighbor featuring "girls for sale for a dollar."

Taking a look at the all-new Baker Falls, now in soft-open mode on the Lower East Side

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Baker Falls (pop. 192) is now in soft-open mode in its new home at 192 Allen St. between Houston and Stanton (the former Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2). 

The performance venue debuted on Jan. 13 with its weekly Anti-Hoot open mic night (carrying on a tradition from the late Sidewalk Cafe). 

We stopped by this past Thursday for what owner and East Village resident Nick Bodor (below) called the first proper rock show of Baker Falls 2.0.

Like the previous BF iteration, which had a year-long run anchoring the Knitting Factory at 101 Avenue A, Bodor recreated his "decrepit manor in the woods fever-dream alt-rock concept" with the assistance of Deb Parker, a thrift aficionado who is/was behind creating EV spaces like Beauty Bar, Barmacy, and No-Tell Motel.

There are several nooks and crannies where you can sit and enjoy a beverage like you're at The Great Northern Hotel. Several chandeliers help illuminate the stage area.

On this night, the music was improvised, with bands eschewing their usual set lists for, well, whatever they felt like playing. 

We arrived just after the first act, OpenExit, and walked into the post-post-punk universe of Prints...

Headlining were EVG faves Genre Is Death ...

The set included Ty giving up his guitar and playing drums, which he did with equal velocity (the band is usually accompanied by a drum machine). Clementine Iris of Prints joined later Genre Is Death on lead vocals...

Bodor has promised to showcase "old-school EV/LES performance art" and be "an indie space, a social club for weirdos." 

So far, aside from the Anti-Hoot open mic night, there's a weekly "Avant Clown Variety Show"...

Visit the Baker Falls website for a list of upcoming shows and entertainment. Follow BF on Instagram for updates on other expected developments. 

The full liquor license is on its way, so the menu includes beer, wine, and coffee for now. 

The now-former Korean Street Foods space is for rent on Avenue A

Photo by Steven

Yesterday, workers placed a for-lease sign at 147 Avenue A's retail space between Ninth Street and 10th Street, marking the official end of Korean Street Foods.

The quick-serve business offering Korean street foods opened in the spring of 2023, taking over the space from corn dog specialists Two Hands.

The asking rent for the 800-square-foot space (plus basement): $9,995.

Tuesday's parting shot

Thanks to EVG reader Joe for this stunning photo this frigid morning from 14th Street at Second Avenue looking east toward the Con Ed power plant...

Openings: Salad Don at Essex Market

Photos and story by Stacie Joy 

Lenin Costa (above) recently launched a healthy new quick-serve option inside the Essex Market.

Salad Don serves a variety of build-your-own salads and bowls. (Billed as "delicious healthy bowls with a Peruvian touch.") You can find the menu here. 

The best sellers to date are the salmon tahini bowl and the rotisserie chicken bowl.

I got the vegan Buddha bowl and the roasted squash soup, and they were both delicious, especially the soup. 

Costa now has three local businesses: the well-regarded Don Ceviche at 57 First Ave. between Third Street and Fourth Street and the Don Ceviche stall at Essex Market.

Salad Don is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

If you're on Instagram, they have an account here. 

Tacombi is not reopening on 12th Street

After 14 months in business, Tacombi "closed for renovations" on the NW corner of Third Avenue and 12th Street in September. 

Subsequent months saw no work in the space, and in the past week, the "closed for renovations" signs came down. The address is no longer on the Tacombi website, and the space is now mostly empty.

This hasn't been the easiest spot to make work for any length of time. Other recent casualties include iSouvlaki and Greekito. The Wayside lasted six years. 

This seems like a decent location, with its proximity to NYU and New School dorms, not to mention people-drawing venues like the Loews Village 7 and Webster Hall.

Signage alert: Smashed on 3rd Avenue

An outpost of Smashed is coming soon to 94 Third Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street. 

This will be the third location for the brand specializing in smash burgers and fries. (The other two stores are in the West Village and Dumbo.) 

You can check out the menu here. (Smashed has vegan options too.) 

As far as we can recall, this space has been vacant since the Joint (fka 99 Miles to Philly) shuttered in 2018.

Openings: Tiki Tiki on First Avenue

Tiki Tiki, described by the business as "a sweet tooth's paradise featuring churros, skillet cookies, waffle sticks and more," is now open at 14 First Ave. between First Street and Second Street. 

This is the third Tiki Tiki in the metropolitan area, a spin-off business from chocolate specialist Sticky Tiki. The EV outpost is open daily from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. and closes at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. 

No website, but they have an Instagram account here. 

No. 14 was previously home to successive illegal smoke shops that were shuttered.

Monday's parting shots

Photos by Derek Berg 

Post-snow day snow creatures...

Cat power: Crowdfunding to keep Ollie's Place open on 9th Street

Via the EVG inbox... 

Ollie's Place Cat Adoption Center, part of Mighty Mutts Inc. (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit), urgently needs your support to continue its life-saving mission of rescuing, rehabilitating, and finding forever homes for cats in need throughout New York City. A fully volunteer-run group, it can no longer meet the rising expenses of rent, food, and veterinary care. 

Without support, Ollie’s cannot renew the lease and continue to save the cats who desperately need help. A special donor has offered to match 100% of proceeds raised in this GoFundMe! This is an opportunity of epic proportions for our cats! We are looking for large donors to help us reach this goal and to provide on-going funding as well. 

Find the CrowdFunding link here. 

Ollie's Place us at 430 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. You can follow them on Instagram to learn more about our mission and adoptable cats.

Sunday snow scenes

Photos by Daniel Efram 

Here are a few scenes from yesterday. Depending on the location, NYC received two to four inches of snow...

Monday's opening shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

From last night in Tompkins Square Park...

Reports: 20-year-old East Village man dies in stabbing on the Lower East Side

Two men stabbed, one fatally, on Manhattan’s Lower East Side https://t.co/HnEwCOIeoW

— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) January 19, 2025

Two young men were stabbed on a Lower East Side street last night, leaving one dead, according to police sources and media accounts. 

A 20-year-old man was reportedly stabbed on Norfolk Street between Delancey and Broome around 8:30 p.m. Another man, 19, was found with multiple stab wounds two blocks away on Delancey and Clinton.

 

EMTs took both men to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue.

The 20-year-old, who the Daily News and police sources identified as Amir Smith, died from his wounds. He lived in the East Village, police said. 

The other victim is in stable condition.

Two men "were handcuffed at the scene and taken into police custody for questioning," per amNY and the Post. 

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online. All calls are strictly confidential.

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a David Lynch tribute on Canal Street via Matt Geo LES) 

 

• Man pleads guilty to Tompkins Square Park shootings, D.A. Bragg announces (Wednesday) 

• This is the date for the next informational session about the former P.S. 64/Charas/El Bohio Community Center (Thursday) 

• Report: The late Gary Indiana’s personal library and collection destroyed in L.A. wildfires (Monday) 

• Side-by-side business closures on Avenue A (Tuesday) 

• First Look: Rendering reveal for new residential building at 1st Avenue and 2nd Street (Monday) 

• At the 1st annual Fuck Fest (Wednesday) 

• 2025 Construction watch: Barrier Free Living on 2nd Street (Tuesday) 

• Paws-itive news: Boris & Horton is returning under new ownership (Friday) 

• Revamps: Íxta turning Japanese-Brazilian at 299 Bowery (Monday) 

• Full reveal at 280 E. Houston St. (Friday) 

• Samascott Orchards expected back at the Tompkins Square Park Greenmarket (Saturday) 

• A look at The March Hare, closing on Jan. 31 (Tuesday) 

• Bad news travels fast! Catch the U.S. premiere of the Fuzztones doc at the Bowery Electric (Thursday)

• A look at 'The Entertainer' (Friday) 

• Signage alert: A diner for 2nd Avenue? (Wednesday) 

• About 'Luna 10 Years' and a unique lineup of planets (Tuesday) 

• Playing Santa, Arnold Schwarzenegger looks for his magic bag outside Veselka (Monday) 

• Activity at the former Raul Candy Store on Avenue B (Thursday) 

• Return of the permanent signage for Ben's Deli (& Grill) on Avenue B (Friday) 

• Signage alert: Sunday Morning on Avenue B (Wednesday) • Yankee doodle Deli demoliton (Thursday) 

• ICYMI: Brick Lane Curry House has closed on 2nd Avenue, though a Brick Lane 2.0 is in the works (Tuesday)

• Amor y Amaro returns to its original 6th Street home (Monday) 

• That time when David Lynch filmed a rather terrifying trash PSA for New York City (Thursday)