Opening: A Steve Madden shoe boutique north of Union Square on Broadway, a new high-end Japanese restaurant at 13th and 3rd, and Tong Thai Brasserie right across University on 13th.
Closing: That great magazine shop at the corner of 6th Ave. and 11th Street, which is very sad.
Looks like Izu/Lemongrass Grill is done. In its place will be Shanghai Square. No details yet. Stay tuned.
It’s all happening in Union Square’s south plaza:
July 10thSebco Laundry will no longer be accepting pre-paid cards to use the machines in our buildings. They are switching to an app which is called My Magic Pass. Residents will need to download the app and use the site code 7–11 EAST 13TH STREET.
You will be able to pay for use of the machines by using the app. Directions on how to use the app are posted in each laundry room.
If residents have money on their current cards Damian will provide an envelope to mail to Sebco to get refunded. Please let us know if you need an envelope. THere are also envelopes available in the laundry rooms.
This remarkable site from the Greenwich Village Society for Historical Preservation takes us on a lot-by-lot tour of Lower 5th Ave. from 8th St. to 14th St., telling the story of every building at every address over time. Layer after layer of history is revealed, with lots of photos. A remarkable effort!
From Bedford + Bowery:
A Union Square institution, Coffee Shop, served its final brunch Sunday with one last samba performance by Maucha Adnet, her trio, and a pair of roving carnival dancers. Charles Milite and Eric Petterson– who own the restaurant with Karolyn Effer, wife of music producer Jellybean Benitez— were on hand for the farewell, and fondly remembered a New York magazine story about the Brazilian diner’s opening 28 years ago. It noted “the late-nighters who’ve been thronging Coffee Shop and its secret room in the back–artists, actors and young models wearing black tights and gold medallions.” At the time, Patterson said he wanted the 23-hour diner to recreate the feeling of Brazil: “the sensuality, the music, the friendliness of the people.”
Since then, Coffee Shop has held on, despite never really being a foodie destination; its basement, once an after-hours party spot for ’90s cool kids, recently served as a chill-out zone for off-duty models during Fashion Week. And its outdoor tables were a dependable spot for leisurely people-watching. But back in July, it was announced that the restaurant would close. “The times have changed in our industry,” Milite, himself a former model, told the New York Post. “The rents are very high and now the minimum wage is going up and we have a huge number of employees.”
