Showing posts sorted by date for query percy's. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query percy's. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Monday, August 7, 2023

Motel No Tell announces itself on Avenue A

Temp signage is up for Motel No Tell at 210 Avenue A... a new bar-tavern on the NE corner of 13th Street...
A group led by hospitality vet Ronan Downs, whose numerous NYC credits include Becketts Bar & Grill in the Financial District, is behind this Avenue A project. (Here's a PDF of their July 2022 questionnaire on the CB3 website.)

According to the State Liquor Authority, the liquor license is still pending for the address, though the owners did receive a "Conditional Approval Letter" last week.

No word on an opening date. There is an Instagram account here.

There have been several other suitors for this space since Percy's Tavern closed in 2017. An establishment called Relax at Blondie's was in the works dating to late 2021.

And some of you might recall No-Tell Motel, a scene-y bar via Deb Parker at 167 Avenue A (now Mama Fina's) between 10th Street and 11th Street that closed in the early 1990s. 

Monday, September 19, 2022

On tonight's CB3 SLA committee docket: Balkan cuisine for the former Starbucks on 2nd Avenue

Here are several more applicants seeking new liquor licenses during tonight's CB3-SLA docket... the virtual meeting starts at 6:30. This is the Zoom link.

• Sugar Mouse LLC, 101 E 10th St (op) 

Sugar Mouse is the name of the concept proposed for the NE corner of Third Avenue at 10th Street, in space (pic above) that TD Bank previously used before downsizing

The bar, offering pizza and snacks, will feature a variety of table games (foosball, billiards, shuffleboard, etc.). The hours are daily from 2 p.m. to, depending on the night of the week, 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. Read more on the application here

Ownership also operates Sour Mouse on Delancey, billed as "the Hottest underground social club in the LES." 

We've heard from several residents who live nearby with concerns about the business,  particularly the late-night closing times. Flyers on the block noted (in all caps): "Nothing less than the quality of life on these streets is at stake."

• Lava Ground LLC, 4 St Marks Pl (wb) 

There's not a lot of information about the bar concept proposed for the lower level of 4 St. Mark's Place near Third Avenue. 

The unnamed establishment will offer bar food such as wings and beef patties with daily hours of 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. According to the questionnaire, which you can read here, the owner previously worked as a security guard and now owns a beverage company.

The space was previously (and briefly) an outpost of the Wanyoo Cyber Cafe. 

• Balkan Streat (Wolf of 3rd Ave LLC), 145 2nd Ave (wb) 

A fast-casual restaurant called Balkan Streat is in the works for the NW corner of Second Avenue and Ninth Street (the former Starbucks).

As the name implies, owners William Djuric and Jason Correa plan to provide a menu with food from the Balkans. (The questionnaire here includes a sample menu.) According to his bio, Djuric, who worked at Gramercy Tavern and Momofuku Ssam Bar, decided to "pursue his dream of opening a Balkan restaurant that would be inspired by his [late] father's Serbian heritage and childhood summers spent in Yugoslavia." 

The restaurant has proposed daily hours from noon to 11 p.m., with a 2 a.m. close on Friday and Saturday. 


This storefront has remained empty since Starbucks closed in April 2019.

• El Primo Red Tacos (El Primo Red Tacos NYC LLC), 151 Ave A (wb) 

The Miami-based taco shop is back on the agenda this month without the full-liquor ask.

There are still concerns from neighbors about the use of the backyard space here.

• Corp to be formed by Ronan Downs, 210 Ave A (op) (Public input occurred on this item in August and in September will only have committee discussion)

Also returning: The bar-tavern concept from a management team led by Ronan Downs, whose numerous credits include Becketts Bar & Grill down on Pearl Street.

You can read the questionnaire here

Several applicants have looked at this space on the northeast corner of Avenue A and 13th Street since Percy's Tavern closed in 2017. 

Monday, September 20, 2021

Neighbors curious about what might be next for the NE corner of Avenue A and 13th Street

Some EVG readers have noted recent activity inside and out at the former Percy's Tavern on the northeast corner of Avenue A and 13th Street... work includes a new curbside dining structure...
Where we left off here... back in December 2019, the Pizza Cowboy reported that Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports was teaming up with pizza personality Nino Coniglio (of Brooklyn Pizza Crew and Williamsburg Pizza) on a bar pie pizzeria.

Not sure if that's still moving forward here. 

According to the State Liquor Authority, the liquor license is inactive here. The names of Larry Watson, who opened Percy's in 2010, and James Morrissey, who is involved with The Late Late and VNYL, are on the license.
In September of 2017, Community Board 3 did not approve Morrissey's application to open Honey Fitz at this address. 

A neighbor says that contractors have been working almost daily on interior renovations, adding a stage in the front half of the space on the 13th Street side and installing six TV sets, among other things. 

So with all those monitors and a stage (live music? comedy?), there's a sports bar/entertainment vibe here, but so far, nothing definitive. And no sign of future Community Board notices for a new liquor license.

Percy's quietly closed here in 2017.

H/T Sonya and dwg

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Week in Grieview


[The window display at Veniero's on 11th Street]

Posts from this past week included...

A visit to Obscura Antiques and Oddities, closing soon on Avenue A (Thursday)

At the 28th annual Tompkins Square Park tree lighting (Monday)

San Loco opens on Avenue C (Friday)

Making the case to landmark this unique church on 4th Street (Monday)

Fire in the kitchen at the Smith (Monday)

Ravi Derossi has Soda Club in the works for Avenue B (Monday)

Behold this festive DIY Christmas wreath on 7th Street made from parking tickets (Thursday)

Celebrating 40 years of the Pyramid Club (Thursday)

Netflix issues Winter Weather Advisory for Tompkins Square Park (Wednesday)

'Tis the package theft season (Wednesday)

CB3 hearing about the air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place (Wednesday)

Maharlika closes after 8 years of serving Filipino cuisine on 1st Avenue (Wednesday)

A call to cancel SantaCon (Wednesday)

Ama Raw Bar debuts tonight on Avenue B (Monday)

The McTrump Value Meal at the McDonald's on 1st Avenue (Tuesday)

Michael Jackson mural defaced on 11th Street (Monday)

Tree stump art (Sunday ... Wednesday)

The new Bean opens on Broadway (Tuesday)

Red Gate Bakery shapes up on 1st Street (Monday)

Rumors: Barstool Sports and Williamsburg Pizza teaming up for a bar-pie concept at the former Percy's Tavern (Tuesday)

... and EVG correspondent Steven spotted this Cooper's Hawk in the New York City Marble Cemetery on Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...



... whatever you do, avoid eye contact...



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Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Rumors: Barstool Sports and Williamsburg Pizza teaming up for a bar-pie concept at the former Percy's Tavern


[Photo from November by Steven]

The start of interior and exterior renovations last month at the former Percy's Tavern on the northeast corner of Avenue A and 13th prompted speculation that a new tenant was in the works for the space.

The Pizza Cowboy did a little detective work, and shared it on Instagram yesterday:

I’ve heard from five sources different parts of the same rumor — the partnership, location, and name — that El Pres, aka David Portnoy, aka THAT Portnoy of “Everybody knows the rules” Barstool Sports Pizza Reviews, is teaming up with pizza personality, chef, and consultant Nino Coniglio (of Brooklyn Pizza Crew and Williamsburg Pizza) to open a bar pie pizzeria in the former Percy’s Tavern space ...

The rumored name: Alright Frankie, a Barstool Sports catchphrase that already has its own merch line. You can read the Best Pizza NYC post for more details.

There isn't any confirmation yet on this venture, though the Brooklyn Pizza Crew shared the Instagram post in their Stories yesterday.

The space has been vacant for more than two years after Percy's closed.

In September of 2017, Community Board 3 did not approve the Late Late’s James Morrissey's application to open Honey Fitz at this address.

Updated 1:30 p.m.

Eater has more on Portnoy...

Considering Portnoy’s obsession with pizza and his claim that’d try every single pizza slice in Manhattan, a pizzeria seems like a natural fit for Portnoy’s first restaurant venture.

But whether New Yorkers will embrace him is a different story. In August, Portnoy got into a Twitter spat with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after she called him out for threatening to fire any employee that discussed unionization efforts. He’s currently being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board over those threats. A Daily Beast report found that Portnoy has also allegedly threatened and harassed female sportswriters by making expletive-laden references to them either on the blog or on a podcast.

In addition, a rep for Nino Coniglio, the chef behind Williamsburg Pizza and Brooklyn Pizza Crew, told Eater that he is working independent of his other projects.

H/T Arthur B.!

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Week in Grieview


[Fall in Tompkins Square Park via Vinny & O]

Posts this last week included...

Guilty verdicts for defendants in 2nd Avenue gas explosion trial (Friday)

A visit to the new Tompkins Square Playground featuring equipment for kids with special needs (Thursday)

At the opening day of Book Club on 3rd Street (Tuesday)

Groundbreaking today on 14-story affordable housing project on 2nd Street (Friday)

Report: Man attacked for his iPhone on 5th Street dies from his injuries (Saturday)

This unique bird made a migration pit stop on 7th Street the other day (Sunday)

The MTA closes the 2 Brooklyn-bound L-train entrances for upgrades on 14th Street at 1st Avenue (Monday)

A Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen for 1st Avenue? (Tuesday)

This week's NY See (Friday)

When the 'Fifth Street Boys' came home (Monday)

11 Avenue C now with bricks and glass (Monday)

Foxface now selling sandwiches 6 days a week with addition of Tuesday service (Tuesday)

Today's transit of Mercury from 2nd Avenue (Monday)

Odd Eye closing 5th Street shop; going online (Monday)

Very Thai has not been open lately on Avenue B (Tuesday)

2nd Street bringing second-hand clothes to Broadway (Thursday)

Nowon unveils retro signage on 6th Street (Thursday)


[Car-free Broadway yesterday ahead of a street fair]

A look at the northwest corner of 14th Street and 1st Avenue (Monday)

Yes, the Tang has closed, but something else is on the way (Wednesday)

The 4th retail space in the former Chase space on Avenue A has a new tenant (Friday)

45 E. 1st St. vacant again (Tuesday)

Renovations knock Blockheads out of commission for a few weeks on 3rd Avenue (Friday)

Former Percy's storefront gets a fresh coat of paint (Tuesday)

... and thanks to EVG reader Aaron G. for sharing this photo of a juvenile red-tailed hawk hanging out yesterday at First Park and Houston...



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Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Former Percy's storefront gets a fresh coat of paint


[Photo by Steven]

Several readers have noted the recently painted exterior of the former Percy's Tavern on the northeast corner of Avenue A and 13th Street... which led to questions about whether a new tenant is on the way in here.

Block association sources are unaware of any business in the works at the moment. The space has been vacant for more than two years after Percy's Tavern closed.

In September of 2017, Community Board 3 did not approve the Late Late’s James Morrissey's application to open Honey Fitz at this address.

As BoweryBoogie reported at the time:

Sick of the “broken promises,” the Avenue A block associations spoke of how Percy’s is detrimental to quality of life. They further alleged that bringing in Morrissey with a 4am liquor license, and who has a terrible track record with VYNL and The Late Late, would only exacerbate an already saturated area. Indeed, the latter operation is considered one of the worst offenders in the district, and carries a report card of more than thirty 311 complaints. Residents on East 1st Street regularly complain about noise, which first has to travel past a clamorous Houston Street and then through First Park.

The liquor license, which includes Morrissey's name, is currently inactive for the address... and it expires at the end of January, according to the State Liquor Authority.

It's also possible the interior was damaged during the fire upstairs in the building back in March. Here's a look inside...



The bar-lounge Fat Buddha just reopened next door after post-fire renovations.

Friday, March 29, 2019

Report of a fire at 505 E. 13th St.



An EVG reader shares the above photo... the FDNY is responding to a report of a fire at 505 E. 13th St. at Avenue A...



One witness says "smoke is pouring out of the top floor apartment on the back right side of the building." The retail space on this corner is currently vacant (the former Percy's Tavern).


[Photo by Christine Champagne]

The @fdnyalerts account reports that the fire was under control in less than 30 minutes...



No word on cause or extent of the damage just yet.

H/T dwg

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Empty corner storefronts on Avenue A



Someone spray painted this message — "Tax Commercial Vacancies" — over the weekend on the side of the former Benny's Burritos space on Sixth Street and Avenue A.

In late March, Mayor de Blasio told the following to WNYC:

"I am very interested in fighting for a vacancy fee or a vacancy tax that would penalize landlords who leave their storefronts vacant for long periods of time in neighborhoods because they are looking for some top-dollar rent but they blight neighborhoods by doing it."

Anyway, by my count, there are currently six corner storefronts sitting vacant on Avenue A between Houston and 14th Street. (This doesn't count the new retail space for lease in Steiner East Village at 11th Street ... or the incoming Target at 14th Street.)

• Southeast corner of A and Second Street. The Chase branch closed here in November 2015. The space has had six or seven brokers since then. Last October, EastVille Comedy Club looked at taking part of the storefront. However, CB3 denied the application, citing, among other reasons, that this address was never licensed before and that it exists in a saturated zone.

• Northwest corner of A and Third Street. Landmark Bicycles closed here back in October.

• Northwest corner of A and Fourth Street. The Santander bank branch closed here on Friday.

• Southeast corner of A and Fifth Street. This space shouldn't be empty for too much longer: Mast Books is relocating here from a few storefronts away.

• Southwest corner of A and Sixth Street. Benny's shut down in November 2014. The owners of the bar the Black Rose were going to apply for a liquor license for this corner, but those plans never materialized.



• Southeast corner of A and 13th Street. I don't know exactly when Percy's Tavern closed. Back in August they started opening later in the day, foregoing weekend afternoons. In September, a reader told me they were done. I walked by to see — and they were open. My guess is they closed for good at the end of September, about the time applicants for the the Honey Fitz made an unsuccessful attempt for a new liquor license here.

Monday, September 18, 2017

[Updated] A look at tonight's CB3 agenda, which includes the return of The Honey Fitz



CB3's SLA committee meets tonight at the Public Hotel, 17th Floor, Sophia Room, 215 Chrystie St. between Houston and Stanton. The festivities start at 6:30.

Here's a look at a few of the applicants on the agenda:

---

• 20 St Mark's Place — Applicants from Ichibantei, the 7-year-old "Japanese Soul Food & Drink" bar-restaurant on 13th Street near First Avenue, are looking to open a similar-sounding concept at 20 St. Mark's Place.

This space is above the Grassroots on the block between Second Avenue and Third Avenue that previously housed Sounds.

According to the application (PDF) at the CB3 website, this unnamed restaurant would seat 64 during their daily hours of 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

The paperwork doesn't note if this would be a second location of Ichibantei or if they plan to move the business.

The fact that an applicant is looking to sell liquor in a space that wasn't previously licensed in a so-called Saturated Area has raised the ire of a few people on the block. While not named in the story, this application was the news hook in a St. Mark's Place Is Full-of-Bars piece in the Post yesterday.

Per the Post:

A proposal for yet another bar and restaurant at 20 St. Marks Place shows there are an astonishing 32 liquor licenses within 500 feet. And that’s before you count two more pending applications for watering holes, State Liquor Authority records show.

And...

“Stacking bars on top of bars is not a happy thought for me,” said Ian Fair who ran Sounds for many years and still lives in the building. He closed the shop in 2015 after the landlord tripled the rent.

---



• 58 E. First St. — Applicants with experience at Casa Mizcal on Orchard Street and the Black Ant on Second Avenue are looking to open a restaurant called Boticarios in the space where Esperanto Fonda lasted nine months.

The application at the CB3 website (PDF) includes a sample menu.

While they haven't yet secured the liquor license, the owners have left a note for the neighboring residents about some renovations in the restaurant...



---



• 210 Avenue A — Applicants for The Honey Fitz are making another run at Avenue A. The proprietors, James Morrissey and Ian Nolan (The Late Late on East Houston and The VNYL on Third Avenue), were looking to open in 2016 in the space that is now home to Starbucks on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place. However, they held off given the uncertainty at the time surrounding the lease at Nino's.

They are proposing a bar-restaurant with hours of 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. daily. (I don't know if the networking space for freelancers is part of this proposal as it was for the St. Mark's Place space.)

The application (PDF) has all sorts of details about the proposed venture, including the menu. No. 210 at 13th Street is currently home to Percy's Tavern, who presumably would close if all this is OK'd.

Updated 9/17

BoweryBoogie reports that CB3 denied the application for the Honey Fitz. Per BB:

[Residents] further alleged that bringing in Morrissey with a 4am liquor license, and who has a terrible track record with VYNL and The Late Late, would only exacerbate an already saturated area. Indeed, the latter operation is considered one of the worst offenders in the district, and carries a report card of more than thirty 311 complaints. Residents on East 1st Street regularly complain about noise, which first has to travel past a clamorous Houston Street and then through First Park.

Remember, of course, that the original intent of The Late Late was an Irish gathering space that would feature “Irish gourmet food” and small poetry readings. Talk about bait-and-switch. This could be why so many turned up to speak in opposition (i.e. more than a dozen).

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• 151 Avenue C — Studio 151, the three-year-old club from the owner of Nublu, is on the agenda for a new liquor license for the upstairs space here between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

I'm not sure what's going on with the space, which has been closed the past six months, per Studio 151's social media.
(You can find their CB3 application here.)

Neighbors have already been circulating flyers about this item...


[Photo by Steven]

The flyers cite Studio 151's "thirty year history of noise." To be fair, Studio 151 opened in July 2014. Speakeasy closed here in the spring of 2014.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

November CB3/SLA highlights: The return of Lucky Cheng's



CB3 released its November calendar of meetings yesterday ... including the two nights of fun for the SLA licensing committee. Lots of items on the agenda this month, including a new home for Lucky Cheng's on Ludlow Street.

Here's a look at some of the applicants over the two nights. We'll pass along more info once it becomes available.

Monday, Nov. 17 at 6:30 pm
Community Board 3 Office, 59 E. Fourth St. (between Second Avenue and The Bowery)

Renewal with Complaint

• Percy's Tavern, 210 Ave A (op)

Applications within Saturated Areas

• Vintage B Inc, 56-58 Ave B (aka 235-237 E 4th St) (wb)

This is the former Vella Market (and Kate's Joint) space at East Fourth Street.

• To be Determined, 137 Ave C (op)

This is the new bar/restaurant going into the Sunburnt Cow quarters. The building is currently getting a head-to-toe renovation.

• To be Determined, 206 Ave A (op)

• To be Determined, 137 Ave A (op)

We went through this last month. It was a mistake then.

• Table 12 (188 Ave A Take Out Food Corp), 188 Ave A (upgrade to op)

Alterations

• Cornerstone Cafe (AO Cafe & Restaurant LLC), 17 Ave B (aka 241 E 2nd St) (alt/op/convert service counter to patron bar with 5 seats)

New Liquor License Applications

• Parmys Kabob and Grill Inc, 124-127 1st Ave (upgrade to op)

We noted this change a few weeks back.

• 41 1st Avenue Rest Corp, 41 1st Ave (op)

This is the address of d.b.a. Dennis Zentek, who opened d.b.a. in 1994 with friend Ray Deter, died on March 23 from injuries he suffered in a fall. Deter died in July 2011 from the injuries he suffered in a bicycling accident.

• To be Determined, 188 2nd Ave (wb)

Looks like there's a taker for the former Shima space at East 12th Street. We noticed that the for rent signs were down the other day.

Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 6:30 pm
University Settlement at Houston Street Center, 273 Bowery

Applications within Saturated Areas

• Lucky Cheng's (Red Room Hospitality LLC), 154 Ludlow St (op)

Lucky Cheng's, which closed its Midtown location last summer after the death of owner Hayne Suthon, looks to be making the move back downtown permanent. (They had been operating out of the DL on Delancey Street.)

The Living Room was the most recent tenant at 154 Ludlow St.

New Liquor License Applications

• Lucille (Little Rebel Inc), 134 1st Ave (op)

Hmm, this is the address of Simone Martini Bar.

Items not heard at Committee (meaning neighbors don't have any say in these items)

• The Bean (147 First Ave Bean LLC), 147 1st Ave (wb)

• G & Nishi Inc, 54-56 Third Avenue (wb)

• 4T USA Inc, 127 4th Ave (wb)

• Zund New York Inc, 84 E 10th St (wb)

b=beer only | wb=wine & beer only | op=liquor, wine, & beer | alt=alterations

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

[Updated] Man removes alternate side parking sign to steal bike on East 13th Street

Here's the scene on the north side of East 13th Street at Avenue A Sunday morning around 7:15... Larry Watson, proprietor of Percy's Tavern, pieced this together from the surveillance cameras... showing a man arriving on the scene with a bag of tools...



He cut the tether wire from the restraint to remove a table from Percy's sidewalk cafe... he then placed it under the alternate side parking sign ... and climbed up to remove the street sign...



... the man then lifted the bike over the pole and calmly walked away...



Watson cautions anyone from locking their bike to this sign... "as it has been prepped for the right bike to be tied to it."



Here's a Google Street View showing the sign... and bike attached to the pole...



Updated:
Police have made an arrest in this theft.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Percy's Tavern owner cleans off poop-smeared Citi Bikes docking station on East 13th Street



Earlier, we noted that someone smacked a large piece of dog poop on the Citi Bikes docking station on East 13th Street and Avenue A. This angered Larry Watson, the owner of Percy's Tavern on 13th and A.

"I think this behavior is disgusting! As a dog owner, I hate when people don't bother to clean up after their dogs in their own neighborhood ... but this a childish," he told us. "Whether you agree with the bikes or not, protest or support it in an adult form. I cleaned it off!"

[Updated] Someone befouled this Citi Bikes docking station with a large piece of dog poop; plus signs



EVG reader Sam shares this with us today from over on East 13th Street at Avenue A... someone left a sign painted in blood red that reads: "TO THE MAYor REMOVE All "CiTi BiKES" BoycoTT CiTy BAnK." The other homemade sign reads: "CitiBank is responsible for all CitiBikes To be put in here. Stop Them Call 311 To Complain." There is a signature on that sign, though it's tough to make out the name.



Oh, and someone put a large piece of dog poop on the first docking station in the row...



Larry Watson, owner of Percy's Tavern on the corner, cleaned off the poop this afternoon. Read that here.

Friday, May 10, 2013

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition


[Timeless, from yesterday by Bobby Williams]

Remembering Paul Caruso and Francine Morin, two longtime East Village residents who recently died (The Villager)

Inside the Cooper Union sit-in (Runnin' Scared)

60-year-old Joe's Dairy closes for good tomorrow on Sullivan Street (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Philadelphia-based Sichuan master Han Chiang is bringing his hit restaurant Han Dynasty to 90 Third Ave. (Eater)

A crowdfunding campaign for the Campos Plaza Community Center (BoweryBoogie)

Why 'Game of Thrones' fans may want to go to Percy's (DNAinfo)

Photos from inside Jupiter 21 (Gothamist)

Park plans for Pier 42 (The Lo-Down)

Photos of a doomed Times Square in the 1990s (Curbed)

The many failures of the Met's "Punk: Chaos to Couture" exhibit (The New Yorker)

...and EVG reader John sends this photo from Chelsea showing One World Center, where workers added the silver spire this morning to make the building an official 1,776 feet.



...and from the EVG inbox ... this sounds very cool...

This Saturday, May 11 at 8 pm at Millennium Film, check out the super 8 films of Katrina del Mar and Stephanie Gray. Gray will include a film of Magic Shoes before it closed and del Mar will screen not to be missed outtakes of her Girl Gang 2000 super 8 cult fave film with images of late 1990s East Village and LES in all its glory. de Mar will choose the outtakes at random and we hear there are old shots of Ray's Candy Store (not sure which will be shown!)
At: Millennium Film Workshop, 66 E 4th St (bet Bowery & 2nd Ave). Find the Facebook invite here.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Report: Percy's Tavern owner robbed at gunpoint

Larry Watson, an East Village resident and the owner of Percy's Tavern on Avenue A and and East 13th Street, was robbed at gunpoint last Monday night.

According to an article in this week's issue of Town & Village, Watson had just returned from a food-and-clothing drive in the Rockaways. While walking into his building on A and East 12th Street, a car pulled up ... and two men approached him. One man reportedly pointed a gun at his stomach while the second man took his iPhone, $120 in cash and his keys.

Watson admitted to executive editor Sabina Mollot that he had let his guard down for a moment ... exhausted after a day of unloading truckloads of donated supplies in the Rockaways.

According to the article, which hasn't been posted online, Watson "hoped his story could serve as a warning to neighbors in the East Village and Stuy Town. Like most others — even those guilty of doing it — he complained that people are too busy playing with their cell phones to pay attention to their surroundings."

[Click article to enlarge]

Thanks to Crazy Eddie for the clip.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Chico's cab fare

Chico was at work today on a mural for the rolldown gate at Percy's on Avenue A at East 13th Street...

[Bobby Williams]

...and later...

[‏@danielleintheev]

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Newsflash: New bars and restaurants revitalizing the 'far' East Village

The Post helpfully notes notes that the "once gritty far" East Village is getting "revitalized" by a lot of new bars and restaurants...


The 10-eatery chariticle lists several over-hyped places such as Goat Town, Edi & the Wolf, the Cienfuegos complex, Bedlam and Octavia's Porch... as well as places that may not be as well-known on the greater NYC radar, such as Percy's Tavern on Avenue A and 13th Street and Revision Lounge, Johnny's B's spot at the former Musical Box on Avenue B.


You can read the article here.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

A CB3/SLA recap: 'Everyone wants a piece of the EV gold rush'

Here's a little more on Monday night's CB3/SLA meeting... We heard that the whole thing ran eight hours... and a good crowd was present.


"The place was packed," East Village Dale Goodson told me later. "So many applicants. Everyone wants a piece of the EV gold rush."

Indeed. Meanwhile, EV Grieve reader Mike sent along his account from the four hours or so that he spent there...

1) Team New Superdive showed up, but they didn’t have a representative so they had to wait a while. When they finally did come up, they decided to define the word “salon” and talk about how they were an art gallery that just needed to stay open really late at night for no apparent reason. They gave endless introductions about who they were, to the great non-interest of the audience, and then were asked, by both the Community Board and the audience why they were presenting the same plan they presented five months ago with no modifications after making no effort to communicate with the community about their concerns. They responded that they were “advised not to.” Their lawyer did some quick backpedaling about how he had certainly not suggested such a thing, and then they were forced to withdraw their application. The audience, who was out for blood, was disappointed, but victorious.

2) Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop at 129 Rivington St. brought along a bunch of supporters who talked about how much they liked to eat sandwiches after work and wished they could have a glass of wine. After a bit of wrangling, it was granted, with restrictions on the hours it could be open.

3) Percy's Tavern (210 Ave A) was requesting an outdoor cafe. There was significant community opposition because Percy's has apparently not kept its promises to the residents of the community about reducing the noise level. Its owner kept saying the noise was not his fault and talking about how he moved the stage, but neither the neighbors or the Board were impressed. They were denied, and told to try again when they’d proven themselves to the community.

4) A restaurant whose corporate name is “133 Essex Restaurant LLC” wants to take over the Mason Dixon space that apparently houses a bunch of frat boys and a mechanical bull. The budding restaurateurs wouldn’t accept a midnight closing time during the week and a 2 a.m. closing time on the weekends. They told the community members that if they didn’t let them operate later into the night, the community would continue to be saddled with Mason Dixon (which is apparently closed right now for some sort of violation) and that there would be vomit everywhere. So in any case, that was a bit ugly, but they withdrew.


5) Angels and Kings is closing so that a restaurant can open. But wait, Angels and Kings has a kitchen? Apparently they even have a menu. Who knew? They are going to hire the chef from the troubled Forbidden City on Avenue A that is now called the Fat Buddha. The neighbors opposed the transfer because there wasn't any community outreach. Neighbors also complained about their proposed hours (4 p.m. - 3:30 am sounds a lot like bar hours) and one Community Board member questioned why they planned on having one security guard inside and another outside, which sounds like bar security, not restaurant security. One also wonders why a small restaurant needs a full liquor license anyway, but that’s another story. Anyway, they withdrew to go meet with community members.

6) Finally, the owners of the Tonda space wanted to get the stipulations about closing time and a coffee window taken off their license (a transfer). They got their coffee window (they will now apparently have pastries and coffee starting at 7:30 a.m.), but the residents of East 4th Street won the hours battle: 12 p.m. closing on weekdays, 1 a.m. on weekends.

One further note on Angels and Kings. Another attendee told me about a letter from a social worker who works with the elderly residents of The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Apartments that face the bar on 11th Street. The social worker said that some of the residents are feeling depressed and anxious — aided in part by sleepless nights courtesy of noisy nearby bars.


Also, a few weeks ago we mentioned that South Brooklyn Pizza is expanding to open a restaurant — serving beer and wine — next door at 122 First Ave. in the former Ruben's space. The South Brooklyn folks have been collecting signatures in support of the move, and showed up at the meeting with more than 2,000 signatures.

As Eater's Jackie Goldstein reported, the owner started his presentation by saying that South Brooklyn Pizza was known as the "best pizza place in New York City right now." To Jackie's recap:

Then someone mentioned "Fondle Parties," an event that has occurred at South Brooklyn Pizza which basically sounds like a grope fest. But it was okay, one committee member even said "nothing's wrong with a little fondling as long as it's consensual." The board voted to deny unless they agreed to stop serving booze at 1 a.m. on weeknights and 2 a.m. on weekends.

No word on whether the EV location will host Fondle parties. You can read more about them here.

Find more recaps at Eater and The Lo-Down.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

A quickie CB3/SLA recap

We were unable to attend last night's tonight's CB3/SLA meeting... Several people said that the meeting lasted eight hours ... and that an exchange involving Hitler took place...

Anyway, we posted this pic last night... Residents had "Enough is Enough" signs up while hearing about a sidewalk cafe for Percy's on Avenue A and 13th Street... The committee denied this request, and several others...


One other note... the folks looking to take over the Superdive space had to withdraw. As one meeting attendee noted, they came in "with this huge art complex idea of classes and gallery and grants for studio and a live-in artist in residence — oh, and of course a bar/restaurant that will be open until 4 in the morning."

They forgot one detail: Getting together with residents and neighborhood block associations before the meeting.

We'll have more later...

The Lo-Down and Eater have more on the Mason-Dixon portion of the meeting.