What time does the new East Village Trader Joe's open today?

[Photo from Saturday]

At 8 a.m., per the signage here at 436 E. 14th St. just west of Avenue A (or via our post from Friday) ...


[Photo by Mr. Baggs]

This location is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

We'll likely have quickie reader reactions to the new space... we also plan to do something about the art in the store, which was created by East Village-based illustrator Peter Arkle.

This TJ's location is in the retail space of the newish 8-story luxury rental called EVE. This development is on the site of the onetime Peter Stuyvesant Post Office (1951-2014).

Several readers said that the Peter Stuyvesant PO was elsewhere on this block between Avenue A and First Avenue. You can check out our extensive archives on the demolition of the post office to make way for this development at the links below.

The USPS has been leasing the former Duane Reade at 333 E. 14th St. for retail services these past six years.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Today in rants: the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

• Meanwhile, at everyone's favorite local post office branch...

• UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?

• Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished

• The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building

• New residential building at former 14th Street PO will feature a quiet lounge, private dining room

• Developer withdraws zoning variance request for former 14th Street post office site

• The Peter Stuyvesant-PO-replacing residential building tops out on 14th Street

• All about EVE, the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office-replacing rentals on 14th Street

• EVErything about the new luxury rentals at the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office


[Photo by Gian G. via Yelp]

Week in Grieview

[2nd Avenue F stop. Art by @CityKitty]

Posts from this past holiday week included...

• Remembering a few of our friends and neighbors who died in 2019 (Tuesday)

• Leslie Feinberg on why Prohibition Bakery closed after 8 years on the Lower East Side (Thursday)

• Eleven Consignment Boutique closes, leaving customers without their resale items (Monday)

• An afternoon with Cáit O’Riordan (Tuesday)

• The most-read EVG posts from the past decade (Tuesday)

• Tree Bistro has closed (Monday)

• Have you seen the former Coffee Shop space on Union Square? (Monday)

• Mi Tea currently closed for renovations on St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

• The new East Village Trader Joe's opens on Monday (Friday)

• gathering days by peter radley (Wednesday)

• Where are they now? Hells Angels edition (Thursday)

• 2020 development watch: 75 1st Ave. (Friday)

• Watch the NYPD drive against traffic and in the bike lane on Avenue A (Friday)

• A 2020 look at 24 2nd Ave., now with a high-end Mathieu Lehanneur showroom (Thursday)

• A for rent sign at the Smoke & Beer shop on Avenue A (Monday)

• DOH temporarily closes Mighty Quinn's on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

... and a new mural on Second Street at First Avenue via ... @Winniemmay ...



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The legal battle behind the closing of Eleven Consignment Boutique

As previously reported, Eleven Consignment Boutique closed on First Avenue and 11th Street some time in late November or early December, angering customers who had items for sale inside.

The Park Slope outpost of the high-end used clothing and accessories store also shuttered without any warning, per Bklyner.

As the Post reports today, a lawsuit among partners is to blame for the sudden closure.

Elizabeth Murphy, who ran the business with her husband Ben Malik Marambiri, said they were forced to turn it over to former partners, Kisito Mone and Romeo Hien, after years of litigation, which included allegations of breach of contract and misappropriation of money, finally ended in June.

Murphy says Mone didn’t want to put in the work to run the businesses.

And Mone's reaction?

Mone denied the business was turned over to him, although he said he returned the keys to Murphy and Karambiri’s new lawyer, Rania Sedhom.

Sedhom said she gave the keys to a representative of the court-appointed receiver who was named to oversee the stores’ assets.

The receiver, Steven Mitnick told The Post that those seeking their goods could call his associate Marc Miceli at 908-572-7275. He refused to provide any further information.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Eleven Consignment Boutique closes, leaving customers without their resale items

Saturday's parting shot

Following the #NoWarInIran rally in Times Square today... photo on Second Avenue via Derek Berg...

Chip shots: Day 1 highlights of the MulchFest

The first holiday day of obligation of 2020 — #MulchFest.

These photos from Tompkins Square Park are via EVG correspondent Steven...







... and you can take as mulch as you want for flower beds, tree wells, paleo pancakes, etc. ...



Back at it next Saturday (Jan. 11!) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Day 1 of MulchFest promises to be a tree for all

[Reader photo from Wednesday]

Let the puns chipping commence! Today marks the first of two Chipping Saturdays this month in Tompkins Square Park.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today and then again next Saturday (Jan. 11!), park workers will be mulching up the Christmas trees that residents have dropped off in the Park. You can even take a little mulch with you.

Per the Parks Dept. website: "We'll chip your tree and give you your very own bag of mulch to use in your backyard or to make a winter bed for a street tree."

Meanwhile, we need a tow truck to get this one over to be mulched... spotted this morning on 14th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Into the 'Void'

There Is No Year, the new record from the Atlanta-based Algiers, is out on Jan. 17. The video here is for the track "Void."

The new East Village Trader Joe's opens on Monday

The Trader Joe's opens Monday morning at 8 here at 436 E. 14th St. just west of Avenue A... EVG regular Greg Masters snapped these shots yesterday (thanks also to Gojira for a heads up) ...



An EVG tipster told us in early November that Jan. 6 was to be the opening day.

EVG reader Mr. Baggs also shared photos... new employees are on the scene...



Industry pub Grocery Dive had a few more details about this TJ's:

It features local artwork and is headed by a "store captain" with 14 years of experience with the company. This will be Trader Joe's ninth location in New York City and its second in the East Village neighborhood.

This TJ's boasts 8,531 square feet of ground-floor space with 14,170 square feet on a lower level.

This is the final step in the long evolution (first reported in May 2017!) of the new EV TJ's, just a few blocks from the Union Square outpost that opened in 2006.

The location is in the retail space of the newish 8-story luxury rental called EVE. This development is on the site of the onetime Peter Stuyvesant Post Office (1951-2014).

P.S.

According to Grocery Dive, Trader Joe's has not indicated any plans to reinstate the home-delivery service that it discontinued last March.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Trader Joe's finally confirms that a Trader Joe's is opening on 14th Street at Avenue A

• All about EVE, the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office-replacing rentals on 14th Street

• Claim: A Trader Joe's won't be coming to new development at 14th and A after all

• Trader Joe's: No current plans for grocery at 432-438 E. 14th St.

• Looks like there's a Trader Joe's coming to 432-438 E. 14th St. after all

Free book swap tomorrow at the Tompkins Square Library branch

In case you're looking for a few new books in your life... the Tompkins Square Library is holding a New Year Book Swap tomorrow (Saturday, Jan. 4) at the branch.

Per the invite: "Bring a bag or two and take home whatever books you want! We have lots to give away, while supplies last."

"We have lots of donated books in the branch, and I’m trying to make space in our office," Library Manager Corinne Neary told me.

The swap lasts from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the library, 331 E. 10th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

On the topic of the New Year and books ... in a new campaign, the New York Public Library is encouraging every New Yorker to make a reading resolution in 2020: read, read to your child or encourage your kids to read for at least 20 minutes a day.

The reading challenge encourages New Yorkers to get library cards, see book recommendations and sign up for a new “Book of the Day” newsletter...

Happy New Year! Here's a no-sweat resolution for 2020. https://t.co/kaB2PSYYtO#NewYearsResolution #2020NewYear pic.twitter.com/uBBQSxhm3O

— NY Public Library (@nypl) January 1, 2020

Watch the NYPD drive against traffic and in the bike lane on Avenue A

You may have caught the beginning of the annual (25 plus years) "Isle of Manhattan" ride on New Year's Day ... as several dozen motorcyclists gathered on Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street and rolled up Avenue A as they began their lap around Manhattan.

The ride had the attention of the NYPD. In the video below, a member of the NYPD Highway Patrol is seen driving at a high rate of speed going the wrong way on Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street — eventually moving into the bike lane — while keeping tabs on the motorcycles...



In the YouTube description, participants claim they were harassed by the NYPD throughout the ride ...

This year, NYPD Highway decided to make a show of force. Marked and unmarked cars (ironically, no police motorcycles!) trailed the ride. Half way around Manhattan, the police set up a roadblock, and directed all motorcyclists to stop. The riders were 100% legal, law abiding, and wearing excellent protective gear. Nevertheless, our ride was disrupted by the police, and we were told "the ride is over" and "get off the highway and go home."

Suffice it to say, we did not. We are all adults, and serious people. Many of us are professionals, with kids and homes. We didn't break any laws. The US Constitution's First Amendment grants us the right to freedom of assembly. Without reasonable suspicion of any crime, it is a violation of our first amendment rights to harass us as the NYPD did.

If the police truly were interested in increasing motorcycle safety, they should engage in conversation with us – not set up roadblocks, which do nothing to improve safety, and only create a hostile atmosphere between riders and the police.