Week in Grieview

Posts this past week include (with a photo along 1st Avenue last night, where the snow banks persist)

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• An immigration detention, a waiting room, a family in limbo (Feb. 9) 

• End of an Avenue B era for Gruppo as it will relocate to the Bowery in March (Feb. 10) 

• New 9-story development proposal raises alarms next to Merchant's House (Feb. 10) 

• 25-story residential building in the works for the NW corner of the Bowery and Great Jones (Feb. 11) 
• Financing secured for major upgrades at Campos Plaza II (Feb. 12) 

• RIP Fred Smith (Feb. 8) 

• Earth School community march calls for protection of immigrant families (Feb. 10) 

• Soft openings: Much Obliged on Avenue B (Feb. 12) 

• New signs up as Metro Acres Market nears opening on 1st Avenue and 5th Street (Feb. 9) 

• Sephora announces itself on the gateway to the East Village (Feb. 14) 

• Former Chris French Cleaners space wrapped for demolition (Feb. 11) 

• What's going on with Chomp Chomp? (Feb. 13) 

• A band playing New Colossus Festival: Loveletter (Feb. 13)

 

• Closures: Village Cafe & Grill on 4th Street (Feb. 10) 

• Signage alert: Stackie Doughnuts on Avenue A (Feb. 9) 

• A new era for Baohaus on St. Mark's Place (Feb. 9) 

• Brooklyn Dumpling Shop closes flagship East Village location (Feb. 12) 

... and something we hadn't noticed atop the First Park kiosk — a Christmas rat. God Bless Us, everyone! (Thanks to EVG reader Taz Urnov for the photo!)       

This East Village 'Bunny' is now streaming on Netflix

"Bunny," a caper set and filmed in the East Village with some familiar local faces, is now streaming on Netflix. 

It had a limited theatrical release back in the late fall and is also available on various VOD platforms. 

   

The film received some positive notices following its SXSW premiere in 2025. Per The Hollywood Reporter: 

"Bunny" successfully channels a downtown vibe that seems to be on the verge of extinction — one where neighbors of all types, shapes and sizes live on top of one another in cluttered apartments, forging a camaraderie that could only exist in that part of New York. 

The screenwriters, Ben Jacobson, Mo Stark, and Stefan Marolachakis (aka Trio Bravo) signed a deal this past week with TFC Management, per Deadline. So expect to see more from them in the future. (Stark plays Bunny while Jacobson directed and has a starring role.)

Good news: Chomp Chomp is open again

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

We were happy to see that Chomp Chomp Thai Kitchen was back in action yesterday at 78 E. First St., just east of First Avenue.

A burst pipe in the space knocked them out of commission for a few days this past week. 

The staff said they appreciated the good wishes while the restaurant was temporarily closed.

Chomp Chomp is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Feb. 14's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

For Valentine's Day today, Bloom Bloom floral design studio once again set up inside Book Club Bar on Third Street near Avenue B...

Noted

Valentine's Day at the Village East by Angelika...

Sephora announces itself on the gateway to the East Village

The Sephora signage/brandage arrived yesterday on the NE corner of St. Mark's Place and Third Avenue — an intersection that some say is the gateway to the East Village. 

The Paris-based multinational retailer of personal care and beauty products will have 7,800-square feet of space here...

As previously reported, the mall-friendly Sephora signed a lease here at the base of the 9-story office building this past September. (TRD had the news first.) 

Meanwhile, there haven't been any updates about any tenants leasing the office space, which was reportedly built on spec. 

Crews and equipment were assembled here in the summer of 2020 to start on the foundation — a process that ultimately didn't get underway until 2022. 

H/T Andy Reynolds!

P.S. 

The sign has already been tagged...

Saturday's opening shot

A view of the February mural up outside the Second Avenue F stop... swan art by Ben Keller.

Friday's parting shot

Photo by Cynthia Reynolds 

The all-day line this Feb. 13 at Sunny's Florist on the SE corner of Second Avenue and Sixth Street...

A band playing New Colossus Festival: Loveletter

The 2026 edition of the New Colossus Festival takes place in the East Village and on the LES from March 3-8. Details here. 

Until then, as we noted last week, our Fridays at 5 video clip will feature a band playing at the festival. (And there are more than 180 in total!) 

Today, we have the local trio Loveletter with the track "Follow Me."

They'll be playing Friday, March 6, at Nublu Classic, 62 Avenue C.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Q&A with Steven Matrick, co-founder of the New Colossus Festival, taking place this week at East Village and Lower East Side music venues (Link from March 2025)

[UPDATED: BACK OPEN] What’s going on with Chomp Chomp?

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

UPDATED 2/14: CHOMP CHOMP IS BACK OPEN. REPEAT, CHOMP CHOMP IS BACK OPEN.

-----

Chomp Chomp Thai Kitchen, 78 E. First St., just east of First Avenue, has been closed for the past two days, raising concern among fans of the well-liked spot. 

Plastic bags currently cover most of the front windows. Through a side window, plants and lights are still visible inside. The door is locked, calls to the restaurant go unanswered, and there are no notices for patrons on the door or messages on social media.

A worker at neighboring Cafe Himalaya said the space appeared closed on Wednesday as well and that they hadn't been told what happened. 

Several people stopped by while we were outside, surprised to find the restaurant shuttered. One passerby summed up the mood: "WHAT?! Chomp Chomp is closed? You can quote me, I love Chomp Chomp." 

Mail is beginning to pile up outside the entrance, and a red-tagged commercial oven was sitting on the sidewalk in front of the building earlier yesterday. 

Renovations? Emergency plumbing issue? Closure? We'll update if we learn more.

Updated: See the comments ... several EVG readers said a broken pipe is to blame for the temporary closure.

Friday's opening shot

Pretty powdery snow on 14th Street

The Great Thaw is underway ... as temperatures will be above 40 for the next week... of course, we still MAY see some snow late tonight and likely Sunday night, per Accuweather, though nothing too dramatic that would overwhelm Citi Bike docking stations for the next two weeks.

Soft openings: Much Obliged on Avenue B

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

A new small-plates cocktail bar called Much Obliged soft opens today at 42 Avenue B from husband-and-wife team Marcos Fernandez and Allyx Seemann, who also own Gator in Greenpoint.

When the pair decided to expand into Manhattan, Seemann said returning to the East Village felt personal. 

"After living many years of my 20s in the East Village, it felt like coming home. There really isn't any other neighborhood compared to the East Village in terms of the delicate balance of nightlife, community, diversity, and artistry," she told us. "To be able to share our vision and passion with a community so enthralled in art is so exciting for us as artists ourselves. Everyone that we've met so far has been incredibly welcoming, and we're hoping that our excitement to serve this community is well received!" 

We stopped by on Monday evening during a friends-and-family event... dishes included a yellowfin crudo and a hake fillet sandwich...

Despite the small space between Third Street and Fourth Street, Much Obliged is designed for lingering. 

"Whether you just want a snack or a full meal, we have created an atmosphere to sit and slow down," Seemann said. 

Opening hours: 

• Wednesday/Thursday/Sunday: 5:30 p.m. to midnight 

• Friday/Saturday: 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. 

You can follow Much Obliged on Instagram.

Financing secured for major upgrades at Campos Plaza II

Image via the NYCHA 

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) has closed on financing for a $92.5 million renovation project at Campos Plaza II — a key step toward overhauling 224 apartments across two buildings that house more than 450 residents on Avenue C between 12th Street and 13th Street. 

The work is part of NYCHA's PACT program, which brings in outside partners to fund long-needed repairs while keeping rents affordable. The project team — L+M Development Partners and Type A Projects — will begin a full rehab of apartments, shared spaces and building systems. 

Planned upgrades include façade and roof repairs, new windows, elevator overhauls, ventilation improvements, and a new security system. Building lobbies will be expanded and renovated, and apartments will receive kitchen and bathroom upgrades, new appliances, lighting, flooring, and fresh paint. 

Outdoor improvements will include upgraded landscaping, seating areas, a children's play space and a sidewalk art installation in the 13th Street courtyard. Safety upgrades include new lighting, cameras, traffic barriers and a gate along 14th Street. 

According to press materials, one of the biggest changes is that the buildings will shift from steam heat to electric heat pumps as part of the city's Clean Heat for All program. The new system will provide more consistent heating and cooling year-round while lowering energy use. The existing steam system will still supply hot water. 

Financing for this PACT modernization of Campos Plaza II is made possible in part by the approximately $19.5 million sale of air rights in 2024 to Madison Realty Capital, the owner of 644 E. 14th St., to build a 196-unit 421-a building with a 25 percent preference for NYCHA residents.

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop closes flagship East Village location

Photos by Steven 

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop has shut down its flagship location on the southwest corner of St. Mark's Place and First Avenue. 

Door signage for patrons notes "we're closing this chapter and turning the volume WAY up — now coast to coast."

The expanding brand has outposts in cities including Philadelphia, Orlando, Dallas, Vancouver... not to mention at Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden... and in grocery freezers. You can also find them on the Upper East Side and, soon, actually in Brooklyn.

This location opened in May 2021 after a few pandemic-related delays. (The signage first arrived on March 20, 2020.) 

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop featured an automat-type arrangement serving more than 30 varieties of dumplings and spring rolls around the clock.

Wednesday's parting shot

Photo by Daniel Efram 

Fishing for change on 12th Street at Second Avenue today. 

As for the photographer, Efram has a new show, featuring the debut of his largest prints to date, at The Dancer, 202 Clinton St. at East Broadway. 

The show is up through Saturday. (Best viewing times, per Efram: 6-8 p.m.)

25-story residential building in the works for the NW corner of the Bowery and Great Jones

Renderings via Fogerty Finger

A new development for the NW corner of the Bowery and Great Jones is moving forward. 

As previously reported (first by PincusCo), Lonicera Partners was assembling a potential development site at this northwest corner. Lonicera signed a contract to purchase 348 Bowery, the former Bowery Market and mechanic's garage, and took a minority stake in 350 and 352 Bowery, the two adjacent properties to the north. 

There are now new permits on file for a 25-story residential building, including inclusive housing, at the corner under the address 56 Great Jones St. 

Here's a view of the proposed development looking to the north ...

And how it would look from across the street... as you can see, the current buildings at 348, 350, and 352 Bowery would be demolished (there aren't any demolition permits on file with the Department of Buildings).

The Bowery Market closed on the corner last October. The boutique CÔTE À COAST at No. 350 shut down last month ahead of a relocation. Noho Food Market at 352 Bowery will move to the empty storefront at No. 354. 

There are two versions of the new building — one with a cantilevered extension to the north, the other without it. 

As Village Preservation explained, 56 Great Jones St. is outside the bounds of any landmarked district. However, the cantilevering portion over part of an adjacent building within the NoHo Historic District Extension at 354 Bowery requires landmark approval. 

The non-cantilver version would feature 94 total residential units, including 27 MIH apartments. The cantiliver edition would have three more MIH units, for a total of 30.

There will be a series of public meetings, starting tomorrow evening at 5:30, before the Community Board 2 Landmarks Committee. (Find meeting details here. You can attend via Zoom.) 

The all-new 56 Great Jones St. would join the 22-story office building on the SW corner of Bowery and Fourth Street on the block. No. 360 will house one tenant: the NYC-based Chobani, LLC, a food and beverage company initially known for its Greek yogurt.

Former Chris French Cleaners space wrapped for demolition

The former Chris French Cleaners is now wrapped in plywood ahead of its demolition here on the NE corner of Fourth Avenue at Ninth Street (h/t Steven!)...

As we noted, a 10-story condoplex with 10 residential units is in the works for the corner, a single-level space. 

The dry cleaner closed its doors for good last September, marking 65 years in business. 

In the spring of 2022, we noted that the corner property was being pitched as a development site, shortly after the family patriarch, Chris Mitrofanis, passed away. Public records show the family also owned the one-level structure. 

According to Crain's, Ilyas Abayev, founder of the real-estate firm Moonshot Development, is behind the new project. BKSK Architects LLP, whose local credits include The Jefferson on 13th Street between Second and Third Avenues, is listed as the architect of record.

Earth School community march calls for protection of immigrant families

Photos by Stacie Joy 

All photos taken with consent 

After school this afternoon, members of the Parents Association of the Earth School — along with elementary students — took part in a community march to speak out against ongoing federal immigration raids and to stand in solidarity with immigrant families. 

The group left the school on Avenue B at Sixth Street and walked together to Tompkins Square Park.

Messages on the signs ranged from “Keep Kids Safe. Keep Families Together” to “ICE out of NYC!” 

Here’s a look …

Bloom Bloom returns to Book Club for Valentine’s Day flowers

For Valentine's Day this Saturday, Bloom Bloom floral design studio is once again setting up inside Book Club Bar. 

From 10 a.m. until the flowers sell out, Bloom Bloom will have grab-and-go wrapped bouquets and custom arrangements available. (You can also pre-order here through tomorrow for pick up Saturday.)

Book Club is at 197 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

End of an Avenue B era for Gruppo as it will relocate to the Bowery in March

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

After 26 years on Avenue B, Gruppo is heading to a new home. 

Owner Antonio Gomez said the thin-crust pizza specialists are relocating and merging with their sister restaurant, Spunto.

The combined restaurant will reopen at 261 Bowery, between Houston and Stanton, bringing the two brands under one roof. 

"We'll have the same food, same vibe — just a new location," Gomez said. 

Gruppo's lease on Avenue B and Spunto's lease on Carmine Street both recently ended, prompting the consolidation. The current Avenue B location is expected to close on March 21, with an immediate reopening planned at the Bowery space. 

Manager Rita Dell'Aquila says the Gruppo name will be folded into Spunto, which holds the liquor license. The new restaurant will offer an expanded but familiar menu, a full bar, and the same delivery zone—an important part of the restaurant's business. The Bowery location will also accommodate larger groups and offer more flexible seating. 

Staffers at Gruppo will remain employed. Dell'Aquila said, "Everyone has been accommodated in the restructuring."

Gruppo first opened at 186 Avenue B in 1999 before later moving to 98 Avenue B between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

Gomez said the team plans to host a series of events and gatherings in the coming weeks so neighbors can pay homage to the Avenue B space before the move.

"We're looking forward to celebrating with everybody," he said.

H/T Salim!