Storefronts at 110 E. 7th St. for rent

The for rent sign showed up this past Friday at 110 E. Seventh St., the former home of Porchetta.

The 8-year-old, quick-serve restaurant, which specialized in Italian-style roast pork sandwiches and platters, closed several weeks ago here between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Co-owner Matt Lindemulder told me that he was exploring several options and was looking forward to getting Porchetta up and running as soon as possible in a new location.

And it appears that both retail spaces at the address are available, according to the listing. (The rent is available upon request.) The other space housed Salon Seven. I do not know their status at the moment.

Neither here nor there but the Winick listing has a rundown of the neighboring businesses, four of which have closed or relocated.

The landlord is listed as Jakobson Properties.

It now seems like Thanksgiving with the Thanksgiving Special at the Odessa

I was getting worried that, perhaps, the Odessa at 119 Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place was not going to offer its annual Thanksgiving Special this year. But! Signage finally went up on Sunday. (Last year, for instance, the sign arrived one whole week before Thanksgiving.)

The complete dinner price remains the same as in recent years — $18.95. (Management bumped it from $15.95 to $18.95 for Thanksgiving 2014.)

As always, I am thankful for the Odessa's homemade sign. And where do they store it year round?

Village Grannies bringing water pipes and smoking accessories to 9th Street

Signage is up at 346 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue... where a smoke shop called Village Grannies is prepping to open its doors..



A quick look inside shows a variety of water pipes on display ...



Not sure if they're really for grannies, or maybe just their new roommates.

As far as we can recall, the space was previously residential.

Thanks to Steven for the photos

Mayor de Blasio calls for unity during anti-hate rally at Cooper Union this morning

"We have a special obligation in NYC to be an example ... we're the greatest city in the world & to lead by example" #AlwaysNewYork pic.twitter.com/PxEOOBBuC8

— NYC ImmigrantAffairs (@NYCImmigrants) November 21, 2016

Mayor de Blasio spoke at Cooper Union's Great Hall this morning to continue spreading a message of unity in NYC.

Per the Daily News:

De Blasio ... said it's important for New York to be at the forefront of a burgeoning anti-Trump movement because this city has always been a beacon of opportunity all over the world.

He urged the crowd — which twice gave him a standing ovation — to "always be proud of our values."

"The president-elect talked during the campaign about the movement that he had built. Now its our turn to build a movement, a movement of the majority," he said.

You can read a full transcript of his speech here ... including remarks by First Lady Chirlane McCray. Other speakers were FDNY chaplain Rev. Ann Kansfield, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik and NYPD chaplain Imam Khalid Latif.

To all of you – we will protect you. This is your home. We are #AlwaysNewYork.

— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) November 21, 2016

A single election does not change who we are - we are 8.5 million strong. We are #AlwaysNewYork.

— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) November 21, 2016

Oh Christmas trees on St. Mark's Place

Workers at St. Mark's Market were putting out the Christmas/holiday trees this evening here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...and these mark the first [full-size] trees that we've seen this season.

Also on this block, the three decorative holiday lights went up this past weekend...

Barnyard Cheese and Brix Wine Shop moving from Avenue C to Avenue B

[Reader-submitted photo on Avenue B]

Avenue B will soon be home to two familiar East Village businesses: Barnyard Cheese and Brix Wine. The two sister shops will be side by side at 168 and 170 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street. (The Avenue B spaces were previously home to the bistro 26 Seats and the motorcycle apparel shop Klutch.)

Moving signs are up at the now-closed location of Barnyard Cheese Shop at 149 Avenue C between Ninth Street and 10th Street...





Brix Wine was just around the corner at 649 E. Ninth St. ...



"We are excited about the moves and the opportunity to have both stores side by side, which was always the dream but never quite attained on Avenue C, although we came close," Barnyard/Brix owner Beatriz Arremony told us via email.

Arremony said that the move will allow them to expand their offerings. Barnyard will now finally have a full kitchen and unveil a number of new items beyond their meats, cheeses and sandwiches. In addition, she said that Brix will offer small-group educational courses, including menu planning, as well as in-store tastings. (No word on an official opening date just yet — but soon.)

"We will miss our corner of 9th and C and the great community that we've been part of for the last nine years but hope to continue to do the same on the B side," she said.

Healthfully has closed on 4th Street

Last Monday, we posted how several EVG readers were worried about the longterm health of Healthfully Organic Market, 98 E. Fourth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. The shop had been keeping irregular hours and unveiled a 40-percent-off inventory sale.

Unfortunately, in this case, there was reason for concern: Workers cleared out the store on Friday...





We heard a variety of [unofficial] reasons for the closure, from the expiration of the lease to a decline in business due to the Dolphin Gym closing next door.

Hot Pot Central sets up shop on 2nd Avenue and 12th Street

New Hot Pot Central signage went up on Saturday evening, as this photo via EVG reader Harry Weiner shows...

The restaurant on the southeast corner of Second Avenue and 12th Street emerged as DumplingGuo back in August ... after a revamp of the Dumpling Go space.

Not sure if the Hot Pot Central/DumplingGuo ownership is the same ... In any event, HPC, which is open for business, is currently hiring...



... and filming a documentary...

Former Grand Sichuan space for rent on St. Mark's Place

As we noted at the beginning of the month, Grand Sichuan closed in the upper level at 19-23 St. Mark's Place ... there was a 30-day notice of termination taped to the front door here between Third Avenue and Second Avenue.

The for rent sign arrived on Friday. The listing hasn't been posted yet online. So no word on the rent.

Shu Han Ju II takes over for Mulan East on 3rd Avenue

The nearly 11-month reign of Mulan East is over at 98 Third Ave. ... the restaurant between 10th Street and 11th Street is now Shu Han Ju II, which offers a variety of familiar Chinese specialities on the menu...



The owners were on the CB3 docket this month for a beer-wine license for the space. (This did not need board approval.)

There is also a Shu Han Ju, which opened in 2014 on Sixth Avenue at 11th Street.

Until July 2015, No. 98 housed the Thai restaurant Bodhi Tree.

Week in Grieview

[Photo in Tompkins Square Park by Bobby Williams]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

RIP Carmen Pabón (Wednesday)

Annual New York Cares coat drive underway (Thursday)

A new art gallery on Second Street (Friday)

Village View ends talk of privatization (Monday)

Out and About with Eric Paulin (Wednesday)

A look at East Houston before the arrival of Red Square (Friday)

McSorley's reopens after bout with DOH (Monday)

Patisserie Florentine coming soon to 10th Street (Tuesday)

Chipping away the exterior detail at 112-120 E. 11th St. (Friday)

East Village is closing after tonight (Saturday)

FryGuysNYC coming soon to Second Street (Thursday)

Vivi Bubble Tea coming to former Organic Avenue space on Third Avenue (Monday)

Report: Pretty ugly AMC Village 7 building sells for $32 million (Thursday)

CB3 douses plans for hookah bar Fire and Ice on Third Street (Thursday)

Ray's Candy Store named best East Village restaurant (Thursday)

Kati Roll Company is now open on Second Avenue (Tuesday)

The cube and Astor Place officially welcomed with ribbon cutting (Wednesday) Then Astor Place closes for "Game of Thrones" fan event (Thursday)

East Village Burritos & Bar is now Spicewala Bar Indian Cuisine (Monday)

Dean & Deluca vet bringing Fat Cat Kitchen to 14th Street (Tuesday)

Switch Playground now open on 12th Street "for the body and soul" (Wednesday)

Future Swiss Institute gets the plywood treatment on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place (Monday)

Coyote Ugly opens its first location in Kyrgyzstan (Wednesday)

The pilot program to house NYU students with local seniors

The Post brings news of a pilot program that NYU will debut next fall in partnership with University Settlement, a Lower East Side nonprofit that provides social services to low-income seniors.

Per the Post:

Students who opt in to the “home stay” program would slice their $14,000-per-year housing bill in half.

Under the plan, cash-strapped students will get a break on rent, and seniors will get extra cash.

While the the initial program "will consist of 10 mature juniors, seniors or grad students," the Post dropped in this lead: "Beer pong at Grandma’s?"

There is a similar housing program for college students in Chicago.

East Village Tavern closes for good after tomorrow

[Image via Google Street View]

Management of the corner bar on 10th Street and Avenue C posted the following on the East Village Tavern Facebook page:



The bar opened in May 2008.

Updated 7:45 p.m.

Public records show that Steve Croman's 9300 Realty is the landlord of the building at 158 Avenue C. (H/t to the commenter who mentioned this.)

H/T Shawn Chittle

Another day, another equine sighting on 2nd Avenue

@evgrieve yep! #yep pic.twitter.com/csnP1DP9FY

— EdenBrower (@edenbrower) November 19, 2016

Outside the Village East Cinema on Second Avenue and 12th Street ... a little promo for the film "Unbridled."

And flashback to yesterday here. (OK, so it was a pony.)