Monday, December 17, 2012
Report: Number of chain stores up in NYC; Dunkin Donuts leads the way
From the EV Grieve inbox... cut-n-paste journalism! Woot!
The Center for an Urban Future today published its fifth annual study ranking the national retailers with the most store locations in New York City. The study shows that retail chains in New York overall fared better this year than last, paced by strong growth in the Bronx and continued expansion from top retailers Dunkin Donuts and Subway.
The report finds that the number of chain stores in the city is up by 2.4 percent over last year, compared to a 1.8 percent gain in stores between 2010 and 2011. Although a handful of prominent retailers like Filene’s Basement and Betsey Johnson closed their stores in New York over the past year, fewer national retailers overall contracted — only 23.5 percent of retailers on our list reduced their retail footprint in the city, compared to 31 percent last year. This marks the fifth straight year there has been a net increase in the number of national chain stores in the five boroughs.
For the fifth consecutive year, Dunkin Donuts tops our list as the largest national retailer, and with a total of 484 stores it is on the precipice of becoming the first national retailer with 500 stores in the city. But even though Dunkin Donuts had a net gain of 18 stores over the past year, its lead over second ranked retailer Subway has continued to shrink. Subway added 24 stores this year, bringing its total to 454. In 2010, Dunkin Donuts had 77 more stores than Subway, but this year the donut retailer only had 30 more stores.
Starbucks regained its position as the third largest retailer in New York City, overtaking MetroPCS, which had moved up to the third spot last year. Starbucks, which registered a net gain of nine stores, has the most stores in Manhattan by far — with 200 of its 272 New York City locations in the borough.
Of the 10 largest national retailers in the city, T-Mobile added the most stores over the past year (13 – going from 161 to 174 stores overall) while GNC had the largest percentage growth (9.2 percent, going from 131 to 143 stores). Other retailers with notable increases over the past year include: Potbelly Sandwich Shop (jumping from 4 to 12 stores), Panera Bread (8 to 13) and 7-Eleven (83 to 98).
New to this year’s report is an analysis of the chains that have grown the fastest in New York City since 2008, the first year we published our ranking of the city’s national retailers. Coming in at the top of the list is Panera Bread, which grew by 225 percent since 2008, followed by J Crew (117 percent increase), Pret a Manger (113 percent), T-Mobile (112 percent) and BJ’s Wholesale Club (100 percent).
Digging into the report a bit... the 10003 zip code (which includes Union Square and parts of Fifth Avenue) is second in the city with 179 national retailers...
The 10009 zip has 23 chains while 10002 has 36.
You can find the full report here.
We'll continue to look at all this... not sure if the report took into account the two Subways that recently closed in the East Village.
And how was your weekend?
A few observations via Twitter... I know we've been SantaConned to death, but ... there's a movement afoot to curb this in the East Village next year. There was a good deal deal of discussion on this during the weekend on Facebook... several East Village bar owners will likely ban any Santa-clad wooers from entering their establishments... there are letter-writing campaigns under way to various local politicos, most notably Christine Quinn...
When my cab driver and I got to the East Village and saw that it was Drunk Santa day, we both yelled "NOOOOOOO" in unison #vomitbeards
— Amy Rose Spiegel (@AmyRosary) December 15, 2012
Today is SantaCon in the East Village so be prepared for Santa to barf down your chimney.
— Bobby Graves (@bigcitybobby) December 15, 2012
There's a lost Santa on my train this morning, apparently he didn't get the memo that douchebag day was yesterday #Santacon
— Obi Anyanwu (@obianyanwu) December 16, 2012
#santacon is the most ridiculous thing that happens in NY instagr.am/p/TTZPysH0WJ/
— NinaHens (@NinaHens) December 16, 2012
What's the right age to tell your kids that Santa is a drunk girl crying on the sidewalk in the East Village?
— mattcutler (@mattcutler) December 16, 2012
And those "santas" who are completely wasted and destroying the East Village.Congratulations.#fail
— Rafael Mateo (@ChezChefMateo) December 16, 2012
If u r in the EastVillage, safe home.There are a ton of drunk hooligans dressed as Santa vandalizing and harassing people! #whoseidea?
—Douglas Turner (@TurnerDouglas) December 16, 2012
serious q: when did santacon become so loathed? is it a “leading indicator of the east village’s decline” sort of thing?
— maura johnston (@maura) December 15, 2012
OMG. Beware of hitting the east village. There is a mob of idiots 2 blocks long trying to get into the 13th step. God speed.
— Vanessa Bermúdez (@vbermudez) December 15, 2012
Avoiding the East Village because of Santacon. How do you make me want to punch a frat bro even more? Put him in a Santa costume!
— Jordan Bowes (@jbowesmusic) December 15, 2012
Fucking #santacon. Stay away from the east village if you value your sanity, peeps.
— Joshua Conkel (@JoshuaConkel) December 15, 2012
@davidgustav Drunken #santacon chicks BEGGING the bodega guys to use the bathroom. He threw them out! WOOO! #eastvillage
— Liberation (@liberationnyc) December 15, 2012
'Holiday Grand Opening' tomorrow night for the Lobster Joint on East Houston
The import from Greenpoint will have a "Holiday Grand Opening" here tomorrow night on East Houston... (OPEN BAR!)
The space previously housed Lina Frey, as BoweryBoogie previously noted. And this lobster venture will likely be more successful than the previous lobster venture on East Houston. Remember Urban Lobster?
For lease signs up now at the former Diablo Royale Este on Avenue A
In our post last week on the one-year anniversary of Tompkins Square Bagels, owner Christopher Pugliese said that he'd love to open an old-fashioned Italian-style pork store/market in the now-empty space next door. The comments were overwhelmingly in favor of such a concept.
Diablo Royale Este closed at the end of August after some ongoing issues with the State Liquor Authority (among other things — the bar has long drawn the ire of neighbors since it opened in May 2010).
The space at 167 Avenue A had been on the market for months. However, a sign just went up here at the end of last week.
It's a big space — 4,000 square feet. There's isn't any mention of rent. However, the listing includes these "notes and highlights:"
As much as everyone likes the idea of a market here — something people in the neighborhood want and need ... given the almighty valuable liquor license attached to this, the reality is we'll likely get stuck with another horrible bar that no one wants and exclusively for Weekend Woo-rriors from afar.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Diablo Royale Este owner blasts the 'blasphemous lies' of residents, invites the State Liquor Authority to investigate
Avenue A transformed into fraternity-sorority party for Diablo Royale Este's 'Boats 'N Hoes' bash
Diablo Royale Este apologizes for 'Boats 'N Hoes' bash
It's just another Saturday night on Avenue A
Diablo Royale Este closed at the end of August after some ongoing issues with the State Liquor Authority (among other things — the bar has long drawn the ire of neighbors since it opened in May 2010).
The space at 167 Avenue A had been on the market for months. However, a sign just went up here at the end of last week.
It's a big space — 4,000 square feet. There's isn't any mention of rent. However, the listing includes these "notes and highlights:"
400 sf backyard for seating (permitted to be open until 10pm on week days and 11pm on weekends)
Legal lower level with bar and seating
2 year-old kitchen and equipment
Full 4 am liquor license.
Occupancy for 150 people.
As much as everyone likes the idea of a market here — something people in the neighborhood want and need ... given the almighty valuable liquor license attached to this, the reality is we'll likely get stuck with another horrible bar that no one wants and exclusively for Weekend Woo-rriors from afar.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Diablo Royale Este owner blasts the 'blasphemous lies' of residents, invites the State Liquor Authority to investigate
Avenue A transformed into fraternity-sorority party for Diablo Royale Este's 'Boats 'N Hoes' bash
Diablo Royale Este apologizes for 'Boats 'N Hoes' bash
It's just another Saturday night on Avenue A
Classic Gourmet Deli no longer on Frist Avenue
A few weeks ago, we noted the new signage for the Classic Gourmet Deli on First Avenue... which, as many people pointed out, had its share of typos... including "Frist" Avenue instead of First Avenue.
[Bobby Williams]
Anyway, EVG regular William Klayer reports that the sign has been spellchecked (spell checked? spell-checked?) ...
Anyway, EVG regular William Klayer reports that the sign has been spellchecked (spell checked? spell-checked?) ...
Reader report: The Third Man opens this week on Avenue C
Over on Avenue C between Seventh Street and Eight Street, The Third Man is ready to open. A reader saw a sign on the door this past weekend saying something like, "closed for a private event: come back next week."
The cocktail lounge is by the Edi & the Wolf owners down the block. The lounge will be called "The Third Man," named after the 1949 film-noir classic starring Orson Welles and Joseph Cotton.
There was the requisite preview post on Thrillist from Dec. 3. Per that post:
The bar serves Austrian/German beers and wines, but it's all about those chef-driven cocktails — purportedly, they're more accessible to the palate of someone who's not deep into the cocktail world, and are instead adjusted to the palate of someone who... eats food.And!
Upscale bar bites will come over from the Edi kitchen, and include Long Island fluke (which most people consider "being from Long Island and not on steroids in the last five years") w/ watermelon radish, and house-cured speck.
No more Ughters Zers on East Houston
Noted the other day...
And the classic neon is all back...
"Ughters Zers" (Photo via Josh Russ. The neon sign will be fixed.) @ Russ & Daughters instagr.am/p/TFXip_j_Gg/
— Russ & Daughters (@LoxPopuli) December 11, 2012
And the classic neon is all back...
The parties at La Vie have moved to Horus Cafe
At the end of November, an East First Street tipster told us that the State Liquor Authority had revoked La Vie's liquor license on East First Street. (The license had apparently expired in February 2011, but La Vie had been operating under the NY State Administrative Procedures Act, aka SAPA).
As we understand it, La Vie can still apply to have its license reinstated at a future SLA hearing. There's currently a "sorry but due to an emergency La Vie will be closed" sign on the door.
Now, another tipster points us to a new sign... La Vie's owners are also involved with the Horus Cafe...
Says the tipster, who lives adjacent to La Vie: "I feel for anyone who lives by Horus."
As we understand it, La Vie can still apply to have its license reinstated at a future SLA hearing. There's currently a "sorry but due to an emergency La Vie will be closed" sign on the door.
Now, another tipster points us to a new sign... La Vie's owners are also involved with the Horus Cafe...
Says the tipster, who lives adjacent to La Vie: "I feel for anyone who lives by Horus."
Sunday, December 16, 2012
A sort of rainy Sunday in Tompkins Square Park
Dunno about you, but I'd welcome a few more days like this... photos by Bobby Williams.
Week in Grieview
Tompkins Square Bagels turns 1, and a great idea for the adjacent space (Thursday)
Manhattan views from the Christodora in 1929 or 1931 (Tuesday)
Out and About with Angel Eyedealism, lead singer of the Fake Pussy Shadows (Wednesday)
This parking lot on East 7th Street will become a six-floor apartment building (Wednesday)
Naming part of East Sixth Street after Donald Suggs (Thursday)
Natori is still open (Thursday)
About the new lights at St. Brigid's (Tuesday)
Bleecker Bob's isn't moving to the East Village (Monday)
There is now a bar here called The Drunken Clam (Thursday)
For people who shit their pants 3x a month or more (Monday)
The Memories of Tompkins Square Park poster just... won't...die (Tuesday)
Claire Forlani's disembodied scotch ad hands (Tuesday)
Another launch date for Citi Bike share (Monday)
Fern Cliff Deli closing on Third Avenue (Monday)
More glass for 51 Astor Place (Thursday), which prompted this comment of the day:
Honest to god, even in my wildest dreams, I didn't think this structure would make me feel as bad as it does whenever I am near it. The prospect of it coming into being was always depressing, and I knew I would hate it once it was built. But I seriously didn't realize how absolutely, devastatingly oppressive, and just outright confounding it would make me feel emotionally when I am around Astor Square area.
They could build a dozen more Avalon Chrystie's on the Bowery and it would not have anything near the affect that this one building has at Astor Place. I truly feel lost when I am there. Like I'm in a weird dream.
Santas apparently stole this sign from Pangea
Via the Twitter feed for Pangea on Second Avenue...
Has anyone seen this sign in the #Eastvillage tonight. #Santacon ruffians stole it. #cometoyoursenses instagr.am/p/TPD1nwHghO/
— pangea (@pangeanyc) December 16, 2012
A few scenes from SantaCon 2012: Scourge of the city or good time had by all?
As you may have noticed yesterday... Heh. Lordy, I have more photos. Here are just a few from the East Village. You get the idea. Oh, you get the idea. Maybe I'll add more later.
[Photos via Baha]
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[At Linen Hall on Third Avenue, via EVG reader Corina]
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[At Tompkins Square Bagels]
Gawker had this post yesterday afternoon: Any Santacon Participant is the Worst Person in New York Right Now
And GammaBlog has more thoughts and photos (and a video) from the East Village yesterday.
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Gawker had this post yesterday afternoon: Any Santacon Participant is the Worst Person in New York Right Now
And GammaBlog has more thoughts and photos (and a video) from the East Village yesterday.
Ho ho ho, who wouldn’t go?: The morning after Santa Claus terrorized came to town
Our friends at EV Heave are out and about this morning. So far, there's only this. [WARNING: Do not click unless you really want to go to a site called EV Heave]
Saturday, December 15, 2012
FYI
East village is already a disaster #santacon
— Katya (@katya323) December 15, 2012
what's with all the 20 somethings running around the east village dressed like jerry sandusky?
— Jena Friedman (@JenaFriedman) December 15, 2012
8 things to do tonight in the East Village that don't involve Santas
I've heard from a few people today who said that they aren't going out today because of the Santas... That's kind of dumb, huh?
These are 7 things worth doing just off the top of my head, so to speak... Feel free to leave other ideas int he comments...
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• Go to the Ben Gazzara retrospective at the Anthology Film Archives. Tonight, "Husbands" at 6:30 and "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" at 9:15. (Info.)
• Visit the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space at 155 Avenue C (Info.)
• Attend the annual holiday fair at d.b.a., 41 First Ave. 3-8 p.m.
• Take part in the annual Unsilent Night, the boombox caroling walk from composer Phil Kline's. Meeting place is 7 at the Arch at Washington Square Park... and traveling to Tompkins Square Park. (Info.)
• See Desire! [A Varsouviana], a "heart-stopping, pill-popping remix of Tennessee Williams’ sexiest play" at Under St. Mark's. 7 p.m. (Info.)
• Attend a world premiere dance performance of "Devouring Devouring" at the Ellen Stewart Theatre on East 4th Street. 7:30 p.m. (Info.)
• Check out the Sensitive Skin #9 Reading Release Party at A Gathering of the Tribes. 7-9 p.m. (Info.)
• Enjoy the quiet comfort of the William Barnacle Tavern at Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place.
'Open clubhouse' at Ruff Club this weekend
From the EV Grieve inbox ... from East Village resident Danny Frost, who's opening the Ruff Club at 34 Avenue A... dubbed "a social club for dogs."
We're having "Open Clubhouse" events today and tomorrow from 11am-4pm. Folks can stop in for a coffee and tour our space, meet our staff, and apply in-person for membership.
We'll likely do a couple more of these ...After tomorrow, for the next couple of weeks we'll be open only for events and temperament screening appointments.
After the holidays, our daycare (off-leash play areas) and social club (the dog-friendly space with coffee and wifi in the front — picture the front bar room at Mo Pitkins / Aces & Eights with the bar intact but with a lending library instead of alcohol) — will be open 7am to 9pm weekdays, and we are still working out the exact weekend schedule. Boarding will be available 24/7/365.
Here's their website.
IT HAS BEGUN
Receiving all sorts of emails, tweets, etc. this morning with photos of the Santa-suit-clad partygoers beginning to form packs in the East Village ...
[Via Goggla]
[Via William Klayer]
The latest count on Facebook has 30,223 SantaCon attendees ... and that's separate from the Santa pub crawl that meets at the Village Pourhouse this afternoon... already hearing horror stories about the Santas. And this was before 10 a.m. Remember, once exposed to another Santa, the Santa virus begins mutating its host...
Previously on EV Grieve:
Here's where the Santas will be on Saturday (47 comments)
The latest count on Facebook has 30,223 SantaCon attendees ... and that's separate from the Santa pub crawl that meets at the Village Pourhouse this afternoon... already hearing horror stories about the Santas. And this was before 10 a.m. Remember, once exposed to another Santa, the Santa virus begins mutating its host...
Previously on EV Grieve:
Here's where the Santas will be on Saturday (47 comments)
Noted
The wooiest stretch limo ever spotted in the East Village? You can't really make this stuff up. Avenue A and East 11th Street last night.
Photos by Shawn Chittle.
Friday, December 14, 2012
This is England
"London Calling," the third studio album by The Clash, was released in the United Kingdom on Dec. 14., 1979. The video is for "Clampdown." And in case you don't know that the album cover was shot on East 14th Street... here's a little history about the greatest rock-n-roll image of all time(?).
Has anyone taken advantage of this 'great news' at the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office?
Revisit the Lower East Side/East Village of 1978: Screening of 'Viva Loisaida' this Sunday afternoon
You have a chance Sunday afternoon to catch a screening of "Viva Loisaida," Marlis Momber's 1978 documentary about life on the Lower East Side.
Per the Facebook invite:
VIVA LOISAIDA, chronicles what life was like for the director and her fellow immigrants in the mid 1970s. The film opens with a scene in the old Tompkins Square band shell and goes on to highlight the huge murals, the many grassroots art and political organizations which contributed to the EV/LES's a cultural diversity.
The screening starts at 3 p.m., at the Tu Casa Rehearsal Estudio, 95 Avenue B (East Sixth Street). There's a suggested donation of $10.
Previously.
Reviving those 7-Eleven + another chain rumors for Avenue A
That pesky rumor has returned... the one about the incoming 7-Eleven on Avenue A and East 11th Street being more than just a 7-Eleven. Back in September, we heard the space of the former Bar on A and Angels & Kings would be chopped into two chains, a 7-Eleven and either a Starbucks or Subway. Just rumors mind you.
So far, there's nothing on the DOB permits pointing specifically to anything other than a 7-Eleven here. But! The applicant of record for both 500 E. 11th St. and 170 Avenue A is Bentonville, Ark.-based Harrison French & Associates, an architecture and engineering firm whose clients include 7-Eleven, Starbucks and Subway.
Plus, as several people have noted, this is a really big space for just a 7-Eleven. Anyway, yesterday, a reader passed along word of a rumor that the space will be both a 7-Eleven and a Starbucks.
Perhaps. Anyway, at this point, nothing would likely surprise us here...
Previously on EV Grieve:
7-Eleven alert: Are 2 chain stores replacing Bar on A and Angels & Kings?
First sign of the incoming 7-Eleven on Avenue A
Unsilent Night for a bad Santa kind of day in the East Village
[Unsilent Night in 2010 by Bobby Williams]In case that you are looking for a group activity Saturday night in the East Village that doesn't involve dressing like Santa, acting like a jackass, buying Jäger bombs (and demanding that the bartender sets up a Jäger-train), terrorizing people out running errands, yelling for your friends who left a few minutes earlier and are already at next bar, then you're in luck...
It's time for the annual Unsilent Night, the boombox caroling walk... Composer Phil Kline's holiday tradition got its start in 1992... meeting place is 7 at the Arch at Washington Square Park... and the group makes its way over to Tompkins Square Park.
Oh, and what if the Santas come across the carolers...? Unsilent Night has asked nicely...
@santacon And please don't fuck with Unsilent Night! Enjoy it as it passes by ….
— Unsilent Night (@UnsilentTweet) December 13, 2012
Rolling out the fruit and vegetable stands at the incoming New York Healthy Choice
Back in February, signs first appeared for something called New York Healthy Choice on Avenue C at East 11th Street ... Chico created murals for the gates in July ... we haven't seen much activity here of late (granted, this isn't an intersection we cross with great frequency... and, like the other businesses along here, the basement was flooded during the Sandy surge...)
Exchanged emails with EVG reader Rob yesterday... who's also curious about what New York Healthy Choice will be — A deli? A mini Whole Foods? A place to buy a box of Annie's Mac & Cheese?
All the above?
Per Rob's photo, the proprietors have rolled out these vegetable-vegetable stands.
As Rob said: "Looks promising."
Exchanged emails with EVG reader Rob yesterday... who's also curious about what New York Healthy Choice will be — A deli? A mini Whole Foods? A place to buy a box of Annie's Mac & Cheese?
All the above?
Per Rob's photo, the proprietors have rolled out these vegetable-vegetable stands.
As Rob said: "Looks promising."
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