Read an oral history of the great East Village zine shop See Hear

Photo by Jerry B. via Yelp! 

A weekend read for your consideration via Animal New York. Freddy Alva delivers an oral history of See Hear, the (late) great zine shop down a few steps at 59 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Alva, a one-time employee, spoke with owner and founder Ted Gottfried as well as co-workers Reuben Radding, Chesley Hicks, Rob Price ... and longtime customer Thurston Moore. Find the post here. 

The shop was around from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s... including a brief revival on St. Mark's Place. Alex has a tribute from 2013 to See Hear at this link.

Saturday's parting shot

Thanks to Robert Miner for this variation of a favorite East Village view — the Empire State Building through the trees in Tompkins Square Park...

6 posts from November

A mini month in review... 

• A new community fridge for the East Village (Nov. 21) 

• $400,000 revamp planned for the Tompkins Square Park Dog Run (Nov. 20)

• After over 50 years, Ludlow Garage on the Lower East Side to close its doors (Nov. 14) 

• The Avenue A 7-Eleven is now closed. The reason why may not surprise you. (Nov. 12) 

• Lower East Side indie mainstay Rockwood Music Hall abruptly closes, musicians say (Nov. 11) 

• At the sneak preview of Mary O's Irish Soda Bread Shop on 7th Street (Nov. 10)

The 'Ghosts' in you

 

Seattle's KEXP recently released this video of an in-studio performance by EVG faves Cults. 

The band with local roots recently released their fifth LP, To the Ghosts, this past summer.

Enjoy the extended live set and interview...

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Cults classic: East Village-based duo on the release of their fourth record

A Black Friday look at Budget Mart on Avenue A

Photos and text by Stacie Joy

As we reported, Budget Mart opened on Nov. 13 at 33 Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street.

We've gone back for a few visits to look at the well-stocked and organized storefront currently featuring enough Christmas decorations to make your place look like Dyker Heights ...

Budget Mart's owner has other stores in Queens and Brooklyn, such as P&P Discount Furniture. 

During our visits, the staff, including Sahriah (pictured) behind the counter, have been friendly and attentive...

As noted in our previous coverage, there are a lot of slippers available, plus socks and underwear, with familiar brands like Hanes. Not to mention toys, suitcases and gadgets galore.

Don't want to wait for a Duane Reade or Rite Aid employee to un-incarcerate your toothpaste? Budget Mart has got you covered...

Guys, want to be ready for gray sweatpants season? Here are various (although not 50) shades of gray sweatpants...

Best sellers so far? Management cited the holiday-season merchandise, kitchenware and clothing. 

More merchandise, such as household items and winter clothes, will be available soon. The manager noted, "We are open to suggestions and opinions from the community." 

Hours are daily from 10 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. No social media or website right now.

Reminders: The work of Kenny Scharf is now at the Brant Foundation through February

In case you are looking for something to do (with visitors?) in the neighborhood this weekend... the exhibit featuring Kenny Scharf, a pioneer of the street art movement in the 1980s East Village, is underway at the Brant Foundation next month. 

FYI details: 

... the exhibition brings together over 70 paintings, sculptures, and objects created throughout the artist's expansive career, beginning with works from the late seventies. The survey is compiled from the Brant collections as well as major loans from institutions and private collections, including The Whitney Museum of American Art (New York) and The Broad (Los Angeles). 

Kenny Scharf is co-curated by Peter M. Brant & Tony Shafrazi in close collaboration with the artist. 

Tickets (here) through Dec. 22 are currently available, and the remaining tickets (Dec. 23 – Feb. 28) will be released in the upcoming weeks. The exhibition will be open Wednesday through Sunday. (Tickets remain for this weekend.)

Tickets are $20, $15 for students, and $15 for East Village residents. Admission is 50% off every Wednesday from 2-6 p.m. 

The Brant Foundation's first show at 421 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue in the spring of 2019 featured work by Basquiat — some 70 works collectively valued at $1 billion. Other exhibits include a career-spanning Warhol collection in the spring of 2023.

Thursday's opening shot

One of our favorite East Village views — the Empire State Building from Tompkins Square Park. 

This holiday season, we're grateful for our readers. Your support, curiosity and engagement inspire us every day. 

And now, we're announcing our new paywall. (KIDDING!)

Wednesday's parting shot

Another excellent tree candidate (here and here) ... this one from Stuy Town via EVG reader Jim Mullins...

Watch the Veselka documentary this holiday season

"Veselka: The Rainbow on the Corner at the Center of the World," the documentary on the iconic Ukrainian diner on Second Avenue at Ninth Street, recently became available to rent or own on streaming services and Blu-ray. (More info here.)

The well-reviewed film (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), directed by Michael Fiore and narrated by David Duchovny, who grew up nearby, opened at the Village East by Angelika on Feb. 23. 

A description: 

New York City's beloved Ukrainian restaurant, Veselka, is best known for its borscht and varenyky, but it has become a beacon of hope for Ukraine. As the second-generation owner Tom Birchard reluctantly retires after 54 years, his son Jason faces the pressures of stepping into his father's shoes as the war in Ukraine impacts his family and staff. 

Late last week, the filmmakers learned that "Veselka" is eligible for consideration in the Documentary Feature Film category for the 97th Academy Awards. There are 169 films on the list. A shortlist of 15 films will be announced on Dec. 17.

Per Variety: "The race for best documentary feature is always full of surprises, and this year, no single nonfiction film has yet emerged as "the one to beat."

And the trailer...

 

A good film to watch with friends or family... in case you're looking to do so during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Final week for Boris & Horton?

Photo by Stacie Joy 

Boris & Horton is done to its last few days on the NW corner of Avenue A and 12th Street. Or are they?

In announcing their schedule this last week on Instagram, they wrote: "we're hopeful that one of our customers will be taking over and reopening in 2025." 

This has been the home to the city's first dog cafe for the past six-plus years.

Earlier this month, ownership (daughter-father Logan Mikhly and Coppy Holzman) posted notices that they would close at the end of November. This development happened even after a successful crowdfunding campaign and a newly enacted subscription plan earlier this year. 

From an Instagram post on Nov. 11: 

Despite these efforts, we've experienced a significant drop in our monthly subscriptions, with almost 90% churn, and our sales are slightly down compared to last year when we initially made the difficult decision to close. 

Mikhly and Holzman said they've previously met with potential suitors but have yet to close a deal. 

The retail space remains on the rental market. 

Still, it sounds like they are keeping the faith this Thanksgiving week...

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Tuesday's parting Instagram post

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Another tree-mendous post

An addition to our fall trees post yesterday... here from 11th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Report: Kushner Cos. sell 2 more East Village buildings

Kushner Cos. continues to pare down its East Village portfolio "as part of a sweeping exit from the neighborhood that launched the career of its former chief executive, Jared Kushner," as Crain's put it on Friday. 

The latest to go: 318 E. 11th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue (above, left), and 99 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. Public records show that Sky Management Corp. paid $11.2 million for the buildings with 33 residential units. 

How did Kushner fare on these investments? To Crain's:

The firm broke about even on 318 E. 11th, selling the 6-story, 18-unit mixed-use site near Second Avenue for $7.6 million this month after paying $7 million for it in 2012, the register shows. A two-bedroom there that leased in August was advertised for about $5,000 per month.

But Kushner Cos. incurred a significant loss with 99 E. Seventh, a 5-story, 17-unit multifamily building near First Avenue that went for $3.6 million after costing $5.1 million in 2012, according to deeds. A two-bedroom there was listed this month at $4,200.

Most recently, the real-estate development firm sold six EV buildings: the four contiguous properties at 329, 331, 333, and 335 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue ($26.9 million), and 516 and 518 E. 13th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B ($11 million). 

At one point, Kushner Cos. was the second-largest owner of East Village residential buildings, trailing only convicted felon Steve Croman. 

Back to Crain's: 

With the deals, the firm has sold about 60% of its East Village portfolio, which at its peak about a decade ago totaled roughly 40 buildings between East Houston and East 14 streets, and Avenue B and Third Avenue, according to a Crain's analysis. Today, by contrast, Kushner Cos., which often invested alongside partners, appears to own just 15 sites, including 201 E. Second St., 500 E. 11th St. and 165 Ave. A., based on public records. 

The publication previously pointed out that the exit is due, in part, to the "rules passed as part of pro-tenant reform laws in 2019 have made it more difficult for landlords of rental sites to run the traditional playbook of converting regulated units into pricier market-rate versions. Some landlords have blamed those reforms for stifling the investment sales market."

ICYMI: This February, Blue Man Group to take final bow on Astor Place after 34 years

Photos from 2019 by Stacie Joy 

The Blue Man Group will end its long-running show — some 17,000 performances — at the Astor Place Theatre this coming Feb. 2. 

No reasons were cited for the end of the production here and in Chicago. According to The Guardian, "The announcement comes at a time when theaters around New York and across the country are struggling to stay afloat amid dwindling ticket sales and shrinking audience sizes compared to pre-pandemic shows."

Productions of Blue Man Group will continue in Berlin, Boston, Las Vegas and Orlando.

In 1987, a trio of Lower East Side artists — Matt Goldman, Phil Stanton and Chris Wink — started what would "arguably become the most financially lucrative performance art troupe in the world." Cirque du Soleil bought the show in 2017. 

Before taking up residency on Astor Place on Nov. 17, 1991 (EVG readers gave the show six weeks tops), the group played out and about at a variety of local venues, including King Tut's Wah Wah Hut on Avenue A at Seventh Street (where Niagara is now).

Per the flyer from August 1989: "Bring a walkman to the show!"
 

Flyer via the King Tut's Wah Wah Hut Facebook page

2 familiar names now offering coffee on St. Mark's Place

Two St. Mark's Place businesses, better known for their other offerings, are now selling coffee.

The Holiday Cocktail Lounge at 75 St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue now opens at 8 a.m. for coffee and croissants... aka, Holiday Coffee Lounge. 

Updated: Here's more info via a Holiday rep after the new offerings: 

Holiday's new coffee service ... includes outstanding coffee and espresso from local Superlost Coffee, plus, tea, juice and boosters, freshly made pastries, croissants, mini beignets, breakfast items, and sandwiches. The Wi-Fi-friendly space (70 indoor seats; 40 patio seats weather permitting) to enjoy delicious liquid in a cup throughout the day and into the evening, when its traditional cocktail service starts at 4 p.m. and is open until 2 a.m.

Meanwhile, on the next block to the west, the bookstore Village Works at 12 St. Mark's Place has opened a cafe with coffee and muffins...

 

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Posted hours have been 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Tree appreciation post

From the past few days...

1 — Tompkins Square Park 

2 — Avenue B at Ninth Street 

3 — 10th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue 

4 — 11th Street near Second Avenue 

5 — Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue

The disappearing buildings of 50-64 3rd Ave.

Several of the six buildings at 50-64 along the west side of Third Avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street are starting to disappear as demoliton continues...

We saw some demo prep work late last year (64 Third Ave., where the Ainsworth was), though the activity in the empty buildings tapered off earlier this year. 

Kinsmen Property Group — a joint venture between State Building Group and another Toronto company, Madison Group — bought the walk-up buildings over several years, paying more than $60 million for the parcel. Residences are planned for the space — the site allows for 160,000 square feet of new construction. However, there is no sign of new building work permits just yet. 

Meanwhile, Kinsmen Property Group also owns a development site between Delancey and Kenmare on the west side of the Bowery. New building permits dating to 2022 are on file for a 72,441-square-foot mixed-use commercial building via Real Estate Equities Corporation at 156-166 Bowery. 

The building now looks ready for demoliton...

NY Yimby points out that the 85-foot-tall structure will yield 72,441 square feet of office space.

ICYMI: 19-23 St. Mark's Place sells

News surfaced last week that there's a new owner of 19-23 St. Mark's Place, the 8-story retail-residential complex between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

According to public records and published reports, real-estate investment firm Movcap bought the property for $27.5 million. 

This is the second time the building changed hands in five years: UBS Realty Investors paid $34 million for it in early 2020. 

The retail tenants include restaurants CheLi and Szechuan Mountain House, plus Mango Mango, T-swirl Crêpe, and Teso Life. There are 41 residential units on the upper floors (including at least one really nice one). 

And you can't always see those upper floors that look like they blew in from another building...

Movcap founder Lawrence Movtady told Crain's that he intends to continue operating the property "with some minor renovations and touch-ups." 

And! 

"It's always exciting when there's some history to a property," he said. "It definitely adds a bit of cache and opportunity for branding." 

Yes! History. The address has a long history. As Off the Grid noted: 

The buildings at 19-23 St. Mark’s Place are an excellent example of how the East Village has changed over time from a wealthy merchants neighborhood to a landing spot for immigrants, to the launch pad for numerous counterculture and artistic movements. Where else would one find a building which had been townhouses for wealthy families, a ballroom, a gangster hangout, a Polish wedding chapel, and a performance venue with the Velvet Underground as the house band? 

In the early 2000s, a developer gutted the space and added a new façade, creating mall-friendly retail spaces whose tenants have included a Chipotle and CBGB gift shop. 

Most recently, the long-empty retail space outside No. 23 has been a crashpad for summer travelers...

Le Fournil now open Mondays for the first time

If you're a fan of Le Fournil, then Monday's might be a little better for you. 

The French bakery at 115 Second Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street is now open on Mondays — 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

And don't sleep on the self-serve drip coffee.

The Monday opening announcement...
 

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Closings: Crepe City on Avenue A

After a July debut, Crepe City has closed at 199 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street. (H/T Lola Sáenz.) 

We're told that they're just wasn't enough business, and the two partners sold the shop and moved on to other projects. (One of the partners, Alex, is now at Choco Dream down on Gouverneur Street.) 

No word yet on what will be taking over the space. 

Before a brief smoke-shop stint, this storefront was home to the first outpost of Mikey Likes It Ice Cream from 2013 to 2022.