Vanishing New York Backup

The beloved and successful Gray's Papaya was kicked off 8th St. and 6th Ave. in 2014 by a massive rent hike . As Mr. Gray told the Village Voice , "They wanted to raise my rent to $50,000 from $30,000." 2008 It became a Liquiteria juice and smoothie shop. For about 5 seconds. Now it's nothing but more high-rent blight. today It's located across the street from what might just be the longest-running high-rent blight in town, the former Barnes & Noble that's been sitting empty since 2013. At that site, written on the window over the ever-present "flagship opportunity" advertisement, someone has scrawled, "There's Never a Bad Time to Abolish Capitalism." Indeed. (While we're at it, let's bring back the always popular dogs and papaya .)

On Sunday March 15, the great Yonah Shimmel knishery will celebrate 110 years in business on the Lower East Side. The first 110 knishes will sell for $1.10 each. Go get 'em! And grab a delicious egg cream while you're at it.

Back when Union Square's Coffee Shop shuttered for Chase Bank , thanks to a massive rent hike, we heard that the bank might be keeping the antique neon sign and re-doing the letters so it spelled out CHASE instead of COFFEE SHOP. Last month, the antique sign was removed . We wondered if it would come back--refurbished or repurposed. It has not. Yesterday, New York filmmaker Amy Nicholson tweeted a photo of the replacement: Thankfully, it's not a Frankensteined mashup of COFFEE SHOP and CHASE. That would be unbearable. It's also not neon and it's not faux antique. It is instead a sanitized, zombified, half-hearted riff on the old Coffee Shop sign. It's vertical and two-sided, like the old sign, and the word JOE (the name of the coffee chain inside the bank) is at the bottom, enclosed in a rectangular ring of yellow lights, also (sort of) like the old sign. I'm sure the PR people at Chase will call this an "homage." They might even call ...

Good news! After an outcry from the public and small business activists, Neir's Tavern has received a new lease. One source in city government informed me that the owner of Neir's will receive 5 more years on the lease and right of first refusal to purchase the building should it go up for sale. The #SaveNYC rally to save Neir's will now be a celebration--and a rally to fight for commercial rent regulations in New York City. Because there are many more small businesses being crushed by landlord greed. Come out to Neir's tomorrow, Saturday, at 2:00pm--bring signs, make noise, fight to save NYC! View the Facebook invitation here

VANISHING After nearly 200 years in Woodhaven, Queens, Neir's Tavern will shutter. photo via NY Times Owner Loycent Gordon sent an email to his customers to share the sad news. He says: "Yesterday I was forced to make one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make. Sunday January 12th I will have to step down as owner of Neirs Tavern and I have no one available to replace me. I’ve been unable to obtain an affordable long term lease to reach our goal of the 200th anniversary in 2029. I’m operating month to month with an unaffordable rent and insufficient sales to overcome a year of losing money every month... I hope my Neirs Team will be here until Sunday in the event a miracle happens. But I have no more money after Sunday. I’m sorry i let you down. I’m sorry I couldn’t get landmark status. I’m sorry I couldn’t buy the building." Neir's has been fighting for its life ; recently, the Landmarks Preservation Committee rejected its application , though it...

VANISHING The Chelsea Flea Market on 25th Street between 6th and Broadway has been in business since 1976. Now we hear it is coming to an end. I went by one evening a few weeks ago and heard the rumor that the lease is up and the owners aren't renewing. Now a couple of tipsters confirm: Next weekend, December 28 and 29, will be the last for this popular and long-running flea. Paul Jeromack writes, "There is a possibility it will get a reprieve," hoping someone might take it over from the current managers, Alan and Helene Boss -- a couple that the Post has said "rules city flea markets with an iron fist." However, he adds, "the church next door," which owns the parking lot "does not want to renew the lease." That church is St. Sava Serbian Orthodox, burned down in a massive blaze in 2016 . Around that time, there was also news of an 850-foot commercial tower going up on the flea's parking lot. It doesn't look good. Jer...

When Coffee Shop on Union Square closed in 2018, we heard it would be turned into yet another Chase Bank branch . That signage is now up: We also heard the rumor that Chase might be keeping the antique neon sign and re-doing the letters so it spells out CHASE instead of COFFEE SHOP. That signage is now gone. Whether or not it returns is anyone's guess.