Vanishing New York Backup

The cart stands on Houston near Lafayette. Between the many signs for hot dogs, hot pretzels, and honey roasted peanuts, hand-written messages tell passersby to call their mothers. "A smiling face is a...beautiful mankind," reads another. "Let's back to our childhood. There we used to mistake again and again. Some people used to forgive us over and over." "Wake up! Re-start. U'll overcome this time." The vendor says the signs bring people to him, inspire them to stop and talk. It's a good thing. "We're all turning into machines," he says, "in this system." It's a good thing to stop and connect. And go call your mother. Which I did.

The fifth location of Friedman's has now opened in the space that long held the beloved Cafe Edison, which was forced to close in 2014 after decades in business. The new restaurant announced its opening on Facebook a couple of weeks ago: "FRIEDMAN'S @ Edison has officially opened and we are super excited !!😊" Plus the hashtags: #eatgoodfood #mindfuleating #farmtotable #friedmansnyc #glutenfreee #celiacsafe #fall #edisonhotel #nowopen #2017 #goodvibesonly #dinner #breakfast #lunch #brunchnyc Reluctantly, I went to see what had become of the wonderful Cafe Edison, the place we fought so hard to save -- and lost. A sign at the door of Friedman's read: "A little taste of the farm for the big city." (See: The Wisconsinization of New York .) Already, everything was off. Through the entrance, no more Betty at her cluttered cash register surrounded by signs that read, "No Large Luggage" and "Cash Only" and "If you are grou

Many people were unhappy this summer when French Roast closed in Greenwich Village. Now its replacement has announced itself: photo: Ora McCreary La Contenta , a Mexican restaurant "with French accents," has another location on the Lower East Side.

VANISHING all photos by Justin Hicks The following is a guest post by Justin Hicks: Pretty much everyone in the West Village agrees: Walter Dikarev is magical. “I love him,” Rosemary Wettenhall, owner of Madame Matovu, said. “Because he’s like this magic man. He can fix anything.” For nearly 20 years, Dikarev held court at his small antique clock repair shop on 10th Street between Hudson and Bleecker Streets. Neighbors squeeze into his cluttered shop to chat, all the while surrounded by his cases of glittering watches, clocks, and jewelry. “[There’s] even [a] special smell in here, the smell of the clock and watch oil,” Dikarev said. “It’s extremely rare; to be in my business and feel exactly like what you could feel maybe a hundred, a hundred and fifty years behind you, and feel like you’re exactly in the past century.” “What I give when anybody’s coming here, I give unto this person my love,” he said. “My love and nothing else. My smile, my love.” Unfortunately for

VANISHED For a few weeks now, there's a been a sign on the door of the Second Hand Rose used record shop on 12th Street, saying they were closed temporarily for renovation. October As Alex at Flaming Pablum noted, "maybe they are just renovating, and will re-emerge, Phoenix-style, from the ashes of their former ignominy with a robust new outlook." But "I’m not holding my breath." Today the sign just says "CLOSED," no more note about renovation, and the shop is empty and dark. A few Bob Dylan posters sit in the window. When I asked, an employee of the building said, "They're closed forever." October We do not know the reason for the closure. But we do know that the building, 817 Broadway, was sold to Taconic Partners last year and they planned to "reposition" the property. As the Real Deal reported, "by April 30, 2021, all the building’s current leases will have turned over." More recently, its anchor

When the old (but not oldest) Ziegfeld theater closed in 2016 after 46 years in business, many New Yorkers grieved. We wondered what would happen to all its odd character when it became an upscale corporate event space. Well, now we know. Recently, the new Ziegfeld Ballroom opened for events. Here's what it looks like: "Drawing inspiration from the 1930’s luxury cruise liner the SS Normandie," reads the new company website , "the Ziegfeld Ballroom features a color scheme of silver and greys to reflect its art deco heritage." Another inspiration appears to be the corporate hotel conference rooms of, well, Midtown. Gone are the plush, blood-red walls of old, the sky-high ceiling, the antique sconces, and that circular banquette where one could rest beneath a sprawling chandelier while breathing in the aroma of fresh popcorn. What became of the artifacts from the Ziegfeld Museum that once lined the stairways and halls? I heard that some are on

VANISHING Brooklyn music bar Hank's Saloon will close by the end of 2018. On Facebook , the owner writes: "the building was taken over by a new developer who had plans to build big. We knew it was only a matter of time before we got the news that we would have to close Hank’s and move along." And "it deeply saddens me that one of the last NYC bars of this kind will no longer exist. These places are extremely special to New York and add genuine heart and soul to the community." They're looking for a new space.

VANISHING In the East Village for 27 years, the Continental will be closing . The owner writes: "Continental has less than a year left. Some time after the end of August 2018, this corner will be knocked down and developed. It’s truly heartbreaking that we and so many Old Skool places are falling by the wayside but unless you own your building that’s how it goes." photo via EV Grieve Read the rest at the bar's website . And, yes, this entire corner will be gone , from the shuttered McDonald's to Papaya King. Something new and horrible will rise in its place.