Vanishing New York Backup

VANISHED Last night was the last night for Maria's Mont Blanc restaurant on West 48th. photo via New York Stephen wrote in: "Those of us who've been denizens of Hell's Kitchen are losing a wonderful neighborhood bar/restaurant. Fought for at least a year with the landlord. Hangout for the musicians' union across the street as well as theater designers, box office staff, stage hands, and, of course, tourists. Lots of Broadway casts and off-Broadway casts hang after their shows. A truly great spot. And beloved by the surrounding industry." Maria's Mont Blanc has been around since 1982 -- in one location, then another, both on West 48th Street. Eater visited in 2011 and reported: "the feeling that you're in the capable hands of a close-knit family remains. I've rarely seen such conscientious kindness as that exhibited by Mont Blanc's staff toward its faithful clientele." And another one gone while City Hall sits on its han...

A few years ago I did a post about the laundromat on West 4th and Bank Street . Marc Jacobs had just expanded into part of it, and I wrote about how I always took its picture because I worried about it vanishing. "It has that look," I wrote then, "old and shabby, and therefore real, a Velveteen Rabbit of a place." I also liked how the laundress decorated the window with orange peels. Well, that's all gone now. I took these pictures a couple of months ago and haven't been back to look, but I figure the place is either still sitting empty or has become another luxury shopping mall chain store. If you know what happened here, please let us know.

VANISHING Reader Sasha writes in to report that Alex's Shoe Repair on 44th and Vanderbilt, across from Grand Central, is closing. Sasha says: "They've been there for ages, and do great work but just lost their lease. He's closing down and not relocating. I was in there for a shine earlier and Alex is bereft, as were many of the customers coming in--lots of head shaking and sad words. Pretty much all the midtown shoe repair places are disappearing, it's a real shame." The sign in the window says May 27 will be their last.

Reader Richard writes in to let us know "the Papaya Dog on the corner of 42nd and 9th Ave shut down overnight. I spoke to some of the doormen at a nearby building and they said the employees were ripping the place up overnight." today This Papaya Dog was one of four in the city ( I visited all the hot dog and papaya joints last year ). It was located in the Elk Hotel, a former flop, nearly a century old. The Elk was sold in 2012 and emptied of tenants. ( I took a tour of the place with one tenant back then --seriously don't miss that one.) We heard awhile back that, along with most of the low-rise block, the hotel was sold again and all the businesses on the block would soon be kicked out . Is that why Papaya Dog closed? Or maybe it was doomed by the luxury hotel rising across the avenue--the one that pushed out Big Apple Meat Market and Stile's Market and 99-cent Fresh Pizza . Then again, maybe it was just that magically powerful tyranny of nostalgia ...

VANISHING Located on 7th Street in the East Village, Surma the Ukrainian Shop has been in business since 1918 -- nearly a century. photo via Mille Fiori Favoriti Reader Andy Reynolds hears the news that they're closing in the next month . He writes, "Was helping the older woman who works there open the gate this morning. She's like, 'Three more weeks and I'm outta here.' I asked her if it was a landlord/rent thing. She told me the owner--of the shop and the building--was selling the building . She's worked there 38 years." ( Rumor confirmed .) photo: Gudrun Georges Last year, The Ukrainian Weekly did an in-depth story on the shop and its history. Mike Buryk wrote that Surma "was like a lens sharply focusing all those bits and pieces of my Ukrainian ancestry in one very inviting place. The smell of beeswax and the sounds of Ukrainian music coming from the record player always greeted me. As you walked through the door a bell tink...

VANISHING? Tekserve , known as "New York's mom-and-pop Apple shop," has been around since 1987. Rumor has it, they won't be around much longer. ( *See update from management below ) Reliable reader Simone reports that she heard from three different employees they are closing shop in August. They say they're hoping to relocate in Chelsea. But, of course, rents are sky-high in a city full of corporate chain stores. When they opened 29 years ago, founded by three former engineers at public radio station WBAI, they filled their space with antique radios and stereoscopes, along with that old Coke machine that dispenses real glass bottles. They were quirky, homey, local. Back then, there were no shiny Apple Stores. Now there are--how many? "What're you gonna do," said one employee to Simone. "It's part of Apple's business model to streamline things, cut out the middleman so they'll have complete control." As a long-time ...

In 2014, after 81 years in business, and with a steady clientele, Milady's bar closed . Employees told customers that the landlord refused to renew the lease (this has not been confirmed , see comments below). New Yorkers grieved. The space has been empty since. It had a For Rent sign on it all this time, but I guess that didn't succeed in attracting a suburban shopping mall chain. So now there's a bigger, brighter banner--in orange!--strapped across the front of the murdered bar. High-rent blight never got so bright. Come on, Applebee's!