Joe Strummer died on this day in 2002

The lead singer of the Clash would be 62.

And, as we have done before, a look at the mural outside Niagara on East Seventh Street and Avenue A … as it has been modified since the spring of 2003…

[Via ‏@NYbillbell]

[Bobby Williams]

[BW]

And as you may have read, scientists recently named a spiky, deep-sea snail after Strummer — Alviconcha strummeri.

Finally, the same person tagged the mural again…

Workers are now demolishing the last 2 East Village gas stations

Demolition work has started at the former BP station on Second Avenue at East First Street.





The Deal Deal reported back in the fall that a new development with 50,000 square feet of condominiums and 7,000 square feet of retail is on the way. However, permits for a new building are not on file yet with the Department of Buildings.

BP closed in early July.

And there's no word on what became of the little tree in the original Exxon-branded planter.

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Meanwhile, over at East Houston and Avenue C, EVG reader Magic Brian notes that demolition crews arrived late last week at the site of the former Mobil, which was the neighborhood's last gas station.







There are plans in the works for a 10-floor building (featuring 0 affordable units) with ground floor retail here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
RUMOR: Gas station going, boutique hotel coming on Second Avenue? (31 comments)

BP station on 2nd Avenue closes this month

The 2nd Avenue BP station has closed

Report: 50,000 square feet of condos coming to the former 2nd Avenue BP station

Permits filed to demolish former 2nd Avenue BP station

You have a little longer to get gas on Avenue C

Plans filed for new 9-story building at site of Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C

New residential building for former Mobil station lot will be 10 floors with 0 zero affordable units

Updates on 3 recent quick-serve food closures

[Photo from November]

Paper went up in the windows at Oaxaca Taqueria in late November. A note on the door pointed to renovations for the taco shop at 125 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

More recently, a notice appeared, showing that the owners were behind on rent…



The space has also been on the market.

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In late November, the city temporarily closed Puddin', the small shop at 102 St. Mark's Place that sells pudding, pudding-filled cakes and Frozen Puddin' Pops, for lacking some kind of paperwork…



Puddin' remains closed, without any explanation about it on their website or social media properties.

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TakeMeHome Rotisserie Chicken opened Nov. 23 at 151 Avenue A between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street. Then during the week of Dec. 8, the quick-service restaurant mysteriously closed without any note/explanation/etc.



But! A help wanted sign recently appeared… and this past weekend we noticed that they were open once again… and now with a phonograph inside…

Coffee and breakfast will live here

Dave on 7th is keeping a watchful eye on 178 E. Seventh St., where Korzo Haus recently left… all we know so far is that it will be a coffee shop with some breakfast foods to go here just west of Avenue B…

The sign on the door for the post office reads "This is where C&B/Coffee and Breakfast LLC Lives."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Something new for the old fortress of East 7th Street

Checkers opens TODAY; 1st look at the specials

The Checkers Watch® comes to an end today with the Grand Opening here on First Avenue between East 13th Street and East 14th Street.

And here is a look at just two of their specials…



… Checkers is also serving… smiles.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Checkers headed to 1st Avenue

From couches to beds on 3rd Avenue

In other exciting retail news … there's a new tenant for the former Jennifer Convertibles space at 111 Third Ave. near East 14th St. …

Signage is up now for Sleepy's … which, despite the grand opening signage...



… isn't actually open yet. As you can see — no beds!

A festive Urban Etiquette Sign for the holidays

Spotted on Avenue A via Shawn Chittle…

Please close the door behind you. (Safer for all)

(and call the landlord to remind him)

Love the decorations. Thanks.

Bonus points for the fine use of parentheses…

Week in Grieview

[Photo on 1st Avenue yesterday by Derek Berg]

Tire swing kills man in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday … Wednesday … Thursday)

8-story retail-residential building coming to the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office (Friday)

7-Eleven finally moves its noisy AC units on Avenue A (Thursday)

Out and About in the East Village 2014 recap (Wednesday)

277 E. 7th St. condos rebranded Seven East Village, and will feature a bike-sharing program (Tuesday … Thursday)

Is an Avenue A entrance for the L train in our future? (Thursday)

East Village represented on this list of the city's worst landlords (Tuesday)

More about the first show at Walter De Maria's former home-studio on East Sixth Street (Monday)

Spice on Fourth Avenue closes (Thursday)

At the 23rd annual tree lighting in Tompkins Square Park (Sunday)

The cat cafe is now open on the LES (Tuesday)

The Salvation Army's former East Village Residence has been demolished (Monday)

Veniero's turns 120 (Thursday)

Lake Extell on East 14th Street (Monday)

More details on Bruno Pizza, opening early next year on East 13th Street (Tuesday)

A new wine shop for Third Avenue (Friday)

The DF Mavens storefront finally — REVEALED (Thursday)

428 E. 10th St. now available for multiple uses (Tuesday)

Spot Dessert Shoppe shaping up on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

The bone broth is popular at Brodo/Hearth (Thursday)

RIP Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos

Two members of the NYPD were shot and killed during an ambush on a Bed-Stuy street yesterday afternoon.

The officers, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, were in their squad car when the gunman, identified as Ismaaiyl Brinsley, shot them at point-blank range.

This message appeared overnight on Avenue C at East Seventh Street.



Brinsley, a Baltimore resident, later killed himself in a subway station.

Some last-minute holiday decorating tips courtesy of Citi Bike

@melchp spotted this over at the Toyota Children's Learning Garden on East 11th Street near Avenue B. If you decide to decorate with a Citi Bike, then remember to dock it every 45 minutes (30 minutes for non-members!) to avoid late fees.

Puppy love

Tompkins Square Park this afternoon via Zach Mack…

Reminders: The New York Cares 26th annual Coat Drive continues

As we cut-n-paste a few weeks ago… via NY1:

With greater urgency this year, New York Cares is launching its 26th Annual Coat Drive.

The agency says it has received requests for 100,000 coats for men, women, and children.

Typically it collects 80,000.

Through December 31, donations of gently used, freshly laundered coats will be collected at hundreds of locations throughout the five boroughs including all NYPD precincts, New York Penn Station, Atlantic Avenue – Barclays Center, and Grand Central Terminal.

You may search for a drop-off location here. Around here you can take coats to the 9th Precinct at 321 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... or the Police Service Area 4 at 130 Avenue C at East Eighth Street.

An EVG commenter told us that the coat drive is well short of its goal….

Gem Spa has a new awning

On Thursday, workers arrived to install a new awning outside EVG favorite Gem Spa on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place…





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And on Friday! Derek Berg picked up the action…



… the work was disruptive to a few people just trying to earn a living…



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Today!



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And a look back …




[Image via]

Holiday celebration today at La Plaza

On the southwest corner of Avenue C and East Ninth Street… aka the North Pole

Report: Mobster allegedly sells bag of guns outside an East Village Starbucks

Fiore “Philly” Caruso, 59, who the Post describes as a reputed Gambino associate, was indicted yesterday for allegedly selling undercover cops guns and cocaine.

And a local angle:

Before his latest arrest, Caruso unwittingly made a sale to cops Nov. 13, outside an East Village Starbucks, where he traded a bag with six guns and ammo with an undercover agent for $13,000 cash, authorities said.

The Post article doesn't mention which Starbucks location. First Avenue and East Third Street? First Avenue and East 13th Street? Second Avenue and East Ninth Street? Astor Place? (though that would really be Midtown South)...

Which location do you think is best for allegedly selling a bag of guns to undercover cops? I'm going with Second Avenue.

'Tis the season to toss out the tree before Christmas

EVG readers spotted these today… Daniel Root found the above on East Seventh Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square … and Allen Semanco saw this one below on St. Mark's Place and First Avenue…



Makes sense. SantaCon is over, so might as well toss the ol' Christmas tree…

'Calvary' charge

A Christmas song that I'm not sick of yet. U.K. singer-songwriter Jona Lewie with "Stop the Calvary" from 1980.