[Updated] Union Square Trader Joe's temporarily closed after employee is suspected of having COVID-19

[File photo]

Updated 3/27: This location, as well as the wine shop, reopened today.

The following information comes directly from the Trader Joe's website:

We would like to notify customers of the following locations that a Crew Member recently present in the store has either tested positive for COVID-19 or is receiving treatment for a suspected case. Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily closed the store for thorough cleaning and sanitization:

Trader Joe’s (Grocery Store) on 142 E 14th St & (Wine Store) on 138 E 14th St.

The Crew Member was last present in the store on March 22, 2020. We encourage customers who visited the store over the 14-day period ending on March 22, and have health-related concerns, to contact the New York State Department of Health Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Hotline: (888) 364-3065.

Stores in Elkridge, Md., and Plainview, N.Y., were also closed.

Back to the TJ's message:

We are working closely with local health officials to take all necessary measures. We are connecting with all Crew Members at the respective locations, encouraging anyone who may have been in contact to follow CDC-recommended self-monitoring guidelines and to call their healthcare providers right away if they develop any symptoms. While the store is closed, Trader Joe’s will be paying all Crew Members for their scheduled shifts. As soon as the store has been fully cleaned and restocked, we plan to reopen.

As we continue to respond to this rapidly evolving situation, our focus remains on doing whatever is necessary to safeguard the health and safety of our Crew Members and customers and best support our communities.

The store is expected to be closed for several days, according to an internal email seen by BuzzFeed News.


H/T Gojira

RIP Nashom Wooden

According to published reports, Nashom Wooden, a legend in the drag community who lived on the Bowery, has died. Friends say that Wooden died from COVID-19. (Update: According to the Times, he was 50.)

A NYC former drag star, Nashom Wooden (who was Mona Foot), has died of covid-19. Nashom was a treasure.

— michael musto (@mikeymusto) March 23, 2020

Here's more via Paper:

Wooden's life looks like a history lesson in fabulous downtown culture. He worked as a salesboy at Charivari, the groundbreaking designer fashion chain of stores where Marc Jacobs folded t-shirts as a teen. He later also worked at Pat Field, the eponymous boutique of "Sex & the City" stylist Patricia Field. He first performed in drag at Boy Bar, a gay bar and drag spot on St. Mark's Place famed for their gorgeous Boy Bar Beauties like Miss Guy, Connie Girl, Princess Diandra and Raven O. He did an off-Broadway show, "My Pet Homo," with RuPaul. He was cast in Joel Schumacher's 1999 film, "Flawless," and co-wrote the title song with his group, The Ones. It was a worldwide dance hit.

Since 1997, he had been working as bartender, doorman and DJ at the Cock on Second Avenue.

You can read about Wooden's drag past in this interview with Michael Musto from 2017.

L.A.-based investor pays $40 million for former Church of the Nativity property on 2nd Avenue

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York has sold the former Church of the Nativity property on Second Avenue for $40 million, according to public records. (H/T Upper West Sider!)



The buyer is Gemini Rosemont, an L.A.-based real-estate investor. The LLCs that purchased 42-46 Second Ave. between Second Street and Third Street are based out of the company’s Santa Fe office, as The Real Deal noted.

According to their website, they look to rent to "tenants in high growth and tech centric industries."

There were rumors dating to January about this deal. Now it's official.

The Church closed after a service on July 31, 2015, merging with Most Holy Redeemer on Third Street.

As previously reported, the Cooper Square Community Land Trust had explored buying the former Church of the Nativity to use as low-income housing.

However, the Archdiocese of New York reportedly didn't seem too keen on that idea, perhaps intent on garnering top dollar for the prime real estate for luxury housing.


[Photo at Nativity from Jan. 10 by Felton Davis]

In April 2019, Catholic Homes New York, the affordable housing unit of Catholic Charities and the Archdiocese of New York, announced plans to redevelop several existing properties to provide 2,000 affordable units in NYC over the next 10 years. Not on the affordable-housing list: Church of the Nativity and the Church of Saint Emeric on 13th Street near Avenue D.

This wouldn't be the first time that a former Catholic church was demolished for upscale housing in this neighborhood. Developer Douglas Steiner bought the former Mary Help of Christians property in 2012 from the Archdiocese of New York for $41 million.

During the summer of 2013, workers demolished the church, school and rectory to make way for Steiner East Village, the block-long condoplex where a penthouse unit is currently renting for $19,000 per month.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Educator: Turning the former Church of the Nativity into luxury housing would be a 'sordid use' of the property

• The fight to keep Church of the Nativity from becoming luxury housing

• Report: Archdiocese of New York announces affordable-housing projects; fate of 2 East Village churches unknown

Checking in on TabeTome

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

Traditional Japanese ramen and tsukemen restaurant TabeTomo has set up a to-go station here at 131 Avenue A between St. Mark’s Place and Ninth Street that has proven to be a popular spot.

Here, you'll find omusubi (filled rice triangles wrapped in seaweed), donburi rice bowls, croquettes, hot sake and cold beer in addition to its signature ramen and tsukemen.





Manager Roka Kishimoto, owner Tomotsugu Kubo and chef Julio Roche welcome me when I show up to pick up my order — from a safe distance and allow me to watch and photograph as they prep other meals to go.







There is a well-stocked customer cleaning/sanitizing station, and customers can also call in and order ahead of time and grab their order through the open accordion doors. Several people on bicycles did just that while I was there.



Best-selling items include the salmon omusubi for $2.50 and the brewed-for-60-hour pork-broth-based ramen for $13 (a vegan version is also available).







It’s cash only and current hours are noon to 9 p.m. daily. You can follow TabeTomo on Instagram here.

CheLi signage up at 19-23 St. Mark's Place

Signage went up Friday for the new restaurant coming to a space at 19-23 St. Mark's Place...





A tipster had previously told us that CheLi was affiliated with Szechuan Mountain House on the other side of the upper level here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

CheLi is taking over from Chipotle, who vacated the premises in August 2018.

Meanwhile, in the lower portion of this complex, Teso Life, a Japanese variety store with several NYC locations, is the new tenant for the former St. Mark's Market. Next door, Mi Tea is in its third month of dormancy due to "renovations."

Monday's parting shot

Given today's crappy weather... here's a flashback to yesterday in Tompkins Square Park, where the Eric Paulin Quartet played for a social-distancing crowd.

Thanks to Walter Wlodarczyk for the photo! (Check out his work here.)

The Union Square Greenmarket will return Wednesday

View this post on Instagram

Union Square Greenmarket is closed Monday, March 23! GrowNYC is temporarily pausing its Greenmarket operations on Monday and Tuesday and will REOPEN this Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Markets will be closed for two days only. During this time, Greenmarket staff will prepare additional social-distancing measures we can take to ensure your safety while you shop for fresh, healthy food, as well as the safety of our farmers and staff. Visit the link in our bio for more details on our markets being essential businesses as well as the safety measures we are taking. Thank you for your patience and your support.

A post shared by GrowNYC Union Sq Greenmarket (@unsqgreenmarket) on Mar 22, 2020 at 7:33pm PDT

H/T Daniel...

S'MAC's curbside service

Sarita and Caesar Ekya, owners of S'MAC on the northwest corner of First Avenue and 12th Street, have reorganized the storesfront to make curbside ordering and pickup easier. (They are delivering as well.)

Meanwhile, we're continuing to try to update our list of East Village cafes-restaurants that are currently open for takeout and delivery. The list remains incomplete for now.

An East Village stay-at-home shopping list

EVG reader Krikor Daglian spotted this discarded paper on Avenue A yesterday... a shopping list with essentials such as milk, butter, white wine, whiskey, pot and bong cleaner.

Monday morning rush

The scene at Union Square this morning at 8:40 ... the first day of Gov. Cuomo's PAUSE on nonessential workers reporting to work.

Photo by Pinch...

Local business resources via EVIMA

The East Village Independent Merchants Association is gathering resources for local business during the COVID-19 health crisis.

Per their Instagram message:

The impacts of this unique emergency are substantial and will be ongoing. We have compiled a variety of resources that provide relief to East Village merchants at eastvillage.info.

We will continue to update this information as new programs become available in an ever-changing environment.

They are also posting concerns from local business owners on the EVIMA Instagram account...

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by EVIMA (@evimanyc) on Mar 20, 2020 at 9:20am PDT

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by EVIMA (@evimanyc) on Mar 21, 2020 at 6:10am PDT

Soil testing underway at the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

[Photos by Steven]

Late last week, we spotted a Davey Drill in the empty lot on the northeast corner of St. Mark's Place and Third Avenue... where workers were taking soil samples ahead of the controversial new office building planned for the space...



Where we left off: On March 4, the City Planning Commission held a public meeting to discuss the air-rights transfer for the 10-floor building ... at which time local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera submitted joint testimony with Assemblymember Deborah Glick and State Sen. Brad Hoylman opposing the plan. Rivera holds the key vote when the proposal eventually comes before City Council.

This item won't likely advance any further for the time being. As the Village Preservation pointed out, the city approval processes have shut down for the time being during the coronavirus outbreak. The City Planning Commission still needs to cast its vote (all expect an approval) before it heads to City Council.

With the air-rights transfer, developer Real Estate Equities Corporation would be allowed to build 8,386 square feet larger than the current zoning allows.

Regardless of an extra 8,000 square feet, the project will continue.



Previously on EV Grieve:
• Demolition permits filed for northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

• End is nearing for the businesses on the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

• New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

• Concern over potential air-rights transfer for new office building on St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop setting up shop on 1st Avenue and St. Mark's Place

[Photos by Steven]

Signage for Brooklyn Dumpling Shop arrived back on Friday at 131 First Ave. (aka 82 St. Mark's Place) ...



This will be the first storefront for Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, a food truck business affiliated with Brooklyn Chop House.

They plan to sell 32 varieties of dumplings 24/7. Here's a look at their exterior plans, via Facebook...



For now, you can visit the Brooklyn Dumpling Shop website for details and updates. (They were planning on a June opening.)

Workers divided this former single-occupant storefront into three spaces. Eiyo Bowl, a vegan quick-serve restaurant specializing in acai and rice bowls, was the first tenant to sign a lease here, as previously reported.

The previous tenant, Foot Gear Plus, closed in July 2018 after nearly 40 years in business.

Gem Spa is closed for now

[Photo by Lola Saénz]

Gem Spa is now closed indefinitely on the corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place. Owner Parul Patel had launched a delivery service for the shop's egg creams and other items during the COVID-19 crisis.

For now, Gem Spa's online store is up and running. If it's of interest, then you can support them here too.