Asti

I regret that I never went into Asti, closed in 1999 after 75 years as "one of New York's most beloved and treasured restaurants."



You may remember, it was the place on E. 12th Street where the waitstaff sang opera while they served Italian dishes. Said one baritone at the time of the closure, "In the last decade, our customers either died, retired, or could no longer afford to come regularly."

If you missed it as I missed it--or if you just miss it--watch this extensive video report I recently came across:

Mariella Pizza

Joe writes in about the closure of Mariella's Pizza on 16th Street and 3rd Avenue:

"After 37 years, Mariella's bit the dust. I spoke to the owner and he was fuming over the long list of expenses, rent and rent tax being the biggest culprits.

He was so pissed as he explained it to me, you would have thought I was the one throwing him out. They had the best food hands down of any pizzeria around! They always hosted a brisk business no matter what time of the day I went there, but as he fumed, 'After a while, how much can I charge for a slice?'"



Back in February, I heard from Liz Solomon. She wrote:

"There is a pizza place on the corner of 16th Street and 3rd Avenue called Mariella's. It has been there since 1976. Everyone needs a place like Mariella's in their life or they need to go back to Iowa. Great slices, pies, and low-end Italian food.

Con-Ed workers came across the street in droves, kids from the extreme demographic divide of Friends Seminary and Washington Irving were after school slice regulars and there delivery business was enormous. I live in a medium sized building two blocks away and I could guarantee on any given night four or more Mariella's deliveries came through our building alone.

Then all of a sudden Mariella's shut down. This was about three weeks ago. They said it was due to a 'gas leak in the building' but nothing has happened and I don't see anyone working there. The metal gate has been down constantly. No one who generally knows everything that happens in the neighborhood knows anything.

If this is the end of Mariella's, it closes another door to MY New York and no doubt will open another for tourists and transplants and the kind of people who line up for farcical desecrations of the sacred bagel, the existence of which must be making my father spin in his grave."



Mariella's had reopened after the "gas leak," and then closed again for good, possibly in part to lost business during the forced closure.

Ever since the 2nd Avenue gas explosion, "gas leaks" have been killing small restaurants, shuttering them for months and requiring expensive upgrades. Is this necessary? Or is it the city asking too much of mom and pop? Why don't we ever see Starbucks shuttered due to a gas leak? Instead of the B&H Dairy, The Stage, La Taza de Oro, The Carnegie Deli, and other longtime locals? Someone needs to look into this. 

Tammany Hall Empties Out

Last spring, Curbed reported that the Tammany Hall building on Union Square East will be topped by a large glass dome as part of a major renovation.

As you can see from the before-and-after renderings, all the small businesses currently on the first floor have been removed from the future vision.

That removal is happening.



I went by the find the owners of the magazine and smoke shop closing their gates for good.



Frank's Wines & Liquors is draped with a large CLOSING SALE! sign. Inside, I was told that "the landlord is redoing everything." They've been there at least 40 years and don't expect to be reopening.

The Trevi Deli on the corner is already gone.



Around the corner on 17th Street, the building housed two cultural institutions, the New York Film Academy and the Union Square Theater.

The Film Academy has now moved down to Bowling Green. They'd been in the Tammany building since 1994.



The Union Square Theater has also closed. Its long-running show, 39 Steps, had its last performance earlier this month.

I poked around inside to find the place a wreck. According to DNA, the theater will be gutted and "replaced with retail and offices."

It's been hosting shows since at least 1985.



What sort of businesses do you think will replace these small businesses and cultural institutions? Well, almost every single thing around Union Square Park is a national shopping mall chain. (Here's a list.) Those that aren't, like Blue Water Grill, tend to be upscale.

The Tammany Hall building was a final remnant of the old Union Square, holding the last collection of low-rent independent businesses and cultural centers on the park.

What's left?

Douchebag Storage Locker

Last week, we looked at the destruction of the historic Blatt Billiards building and the opinionated graffiti on its "Work in Progress" poster.

On the image of the glassy luxury tower to come, people had written: "Ugly Work in Progress," "YUCK," and more.

The poster was quickly replaced with a fresh one and covered in plastic, presumably to deter the detractors. They have not been deterred.



This week they added "UGLY" and the colorful descriptor "Douchebag Storage Locker," with an arrow pointing straight at 809 Broadway, so there could be no mistake.

Think Less

Barnes & Noble is removing its stores from Queens, including a location in Forest Hills that preservationists tried to save. It's ironic to fight for a chain, but the neighborhood is otherwise a bookstore desert. And what's coming to replace it? A Target.

Meanwhile, on Fifth Avenue and 18th Street, the flagship Barnes & Noble bookstore (since 1932 and closed in 2014) has been completely transformed into a Banana Republic.



The plaque on the outside wall ("Founded 1873") has been pried off, leaving a shadowy scar on the masonry.

Inside, a message for all who might still think books have value: THINK LESS.



(I took this picture awhile ago, so it may not be there anymore. It was there when they opened.)

Blatt Now

Just south of Union Square, on Broadway near 12th Street, Blatt Billiards sold their building in 2013 after 90 years in business. IDM Capital, a "syndicate of Israeli investors," paid $24 million for it.

Now it's being destroyed.



In 2013, Curbed reported that the new owners would be adding ten floors to the existing building, but that plan must have changed. More recent reports state that the "two-phase project entails the construction of 10 floors above a five-story office building...followed by the conversion of the existing structure."

Conversion?

The latest renderings show the historic structure is nowhere in sight, replaced with yet another chilly monstrosity. 

In the architect's images, the cast-iron building has been swallowed up in a sleek glass tower with the words "new style" written across the front. No cast-iron facade, no spandrels, no colonettes.



Today, at the 809 Broadway demolition site, passersby have written their opinions of the development on the poster tacked to the plywood.

"UGLY WORK IN PROGRESS," says one. To which the opposition has replied, "You're [sic] taste is in ur [sic] ass."

"YUCK," says another. 

An arrow points to a neighboring antique building and says, "Beautiful Building." While up above, in a speech bubble, the new tower speaks: "I'm judging you."




The Blatt building was constructed in 1887, a cast-iron beauty among others of its type. It's listed on the Endangered Cast Iron Buildings in NYC list, where it is noted that the Times once described the building as "perfect in all its details."

Was somebody not paying attention here?



I liked looking up at that old building, especially on warm days when the big upper-floor factory windows were open and you could look in to see the men making pool tables, sawing and sanding the rosewood and maple.

I liked seeing that funny name, BLATT, written across the front ("since 1923"). And, now and then, I liked going inside and looking at all the things they sold -- stained glass pub-style chandeliers, dart boards, boxes of shimmering dice.

It was a beautiful thing.

University Place Deli

The deli/market on University Place and 13th Street is no more. On Twitter, Deb Schwartz posted a photo of the shuttered spot and noted that the place has been here for 47 years:



Chris Bandini sends in a shot of the market's heartfelt goodbye sign. Lee, its author, begins: "Thank you for letting us serve you for last 30 years," and remembers watching children grow into adults, get married, and pass on.

This is why we grieve the loss of mom and pops as they're evicted and replaced by national chains, luxury condos, and banks -- because they are family. They know us and we know them. This was a good market--an alternative (one of the last) to the glut of ever-spreading chains in the area.



I don't know why the University Place deli has closed, but this entire area is being wiped out. The deli's building is right next to what had been the Bowlmor Lanes building, gutted and soon demolished for luxury condos. What will be the fate of this little tenement?

University Diner was kicked out a couple years ago and it's been gangbusters since. Right around the corner, Bennie Louie Chinese Laundry is getting kicked out after two or three generations. A block away, Jack Bistro was kicked out to become a TD Bank. Realtors and developers are hyping the area around 12th and University as the new "Gold Coast."

And I have heard some unsettling chatter about the future of Cinema Village, which is right in the middle of this endangered zone.

Somebody, do something. #SaveNYC.

Benny Louie Chinese Laundry

VANISHING

Reader Chris Bandini sends in the sad news about Benny Louie Chinese Laundry on 13th Street near University. The sign outside says they're closing on June 12 because they lost their lease.



Though it's not in my laundry neighborhood, I always liked walking by Benny Louie and seeing their old signage.

We keep losing Chinese laundries, like Chin's, Harry Chong, Lee's, and many more. They're not going out of business. They're not losing customers. They're being denied new leases, or having their rents hiked beyond reach. They're being driven away. And City Hall won't do a thing to #SaveNYC. 



I don't know how long Benny Louie has been here. From reviews on Yelp, it sounds like two generations. When I went in to ask about the closure, the sad young man at the counter didn't want to talk about it.

One Yelp reviewer who's a regular had this to say:

"Been going to Benny's for ages...when Benny's father used to run the shop. They've been around for so long, and Benny's can't wait till the day he retires and go fishing! But if that were ever to happen, I am sure Cindy will continue to make this place even better."

B&N to Banana

The original Barnes & Noble flagship store on 5th Avenue closed this past January. It had been there since 1932.

The Banana Republic that is taking its place has a message for us: "Good things are worth the wait."

B. Shackman's

In 2010, I did a little post on the word "novelties," and about how it's been vanishing from the cityscape. In the post, I mentioned Shackman's, a toy store long on 5th Avenue and 16th Street, since replaced by the Anthropologie clothing chain.


photo by Ed Sijmons, flickr

I'd not been able to find any photos of the old shop. But then Ed Sijmons of Amsterdam got in touch to share some wonderful shots he'd taken of Shackman's on a trip to New York back in 1980.


photo by Ed Sijmons, flickr

Shackman's had been selling toys and gifts since 1898. The "B" in B. Shackman stood for Bertha, who was killed by a car on Amsterdam Ave. in 1925.


photo by Ed Sijmons, flickr

You can still find a number of vintage Shackman items on Etsy--paper dolls, miniatures for doll houses, dolls, and cards.


photo by Ed Sijmons, flickr

You can also see many more shots of Mr. Sijmon's 1980 trip to New York on his Flickr page.

Marquet Cafe

VANISHED 

A tipster wrote in a few weeks ago to report that Di Fiore Marquet Cafe on East 12th had its last day in business after 22 years.



While there has been no official word from the owner, no goodbye sign on the door, Marquet has remained shuttered and untouched since, the tables all set for customers who will never come again.

An employee has posted on their Facebook page: "Out of business, thanks for your patronage."



I don't know why Marquet closed, only that it's been darkened under scaffolding for quite some time, due to the construction of parking garage turned high-end luxury condo building 17 East 12, where the owners consider 12th and University to be "one of the most sought-after areas of the city," reminiscent of "the historic Gold Coast."

The block is changing. In addition to 17 East 12, the Bowlmor building is going luxury condo, too. The stationery store shut down recently, chains are moving in. And let's not forget the loss of 12th Street Books back in 2008.


Celeste di Fiore, via Homegrown

I never went to Marquet, so I will leave its description to this article from The Examiner's Leann Lavin a few years back:

"...it is owner Celeste Di Fiore who is the real-deal charmer – the Elaine of the downtown, Village cohort. For more than 10 years, she's looked after her customers like a doting, sometimes worrisome, always supportive, can’t-help-herself favorite friend or aunt. The customers are neighborhoodies: from the nearby Forbes magazine staff, the creative artists and patrons of the Salmagundi artist colony; writers and authors; along with students and professors from the Cardoza law school on the corner, or NYU. There are the quiet celebrities: Meryl Streep, Sean Pean and Giada De Laurentiis' mom, to name a few. Like a butterfly, Celeste can be seen alighting at a table to ask about the customer's latest book, or another’s health, or to agree with another about the neighborhood’s lack of a grocery store due to changing real estate."

More at 12th and University

The last business to remain open in the former Bowlmor building on 12th and University has closed, leaving no more. University Pita has shuttered.



In their goodbye note, they say they are not relocating.



Around the corner, similarly displaced Japonica is relocating. Their plywood is up with a "coming soon" banner.



Meanwhile, back at Bowlmor, flowers have appeared in the shuttered gate, along with a note, "In loving memory of Marky B."

Mark Braunreuther was Bowlmor's greeter for 16 years. In the Times recently, Jo Certo wrote a memorial goodbye to him, calling him a "benevolent minder, gentleman greeter, peacekeeper on the rowdy corner" and "the mayor of University Place."



Now that every single one of the many small businesses in this building have been pushed out--from Bowlmor to Stromboli Pizza--the luxury condo construction can begin. Already, the hardhats are revving their engines.



Previously:
Bowlmor
University Stationery

Chat 'N Chew

As neighborhood-changing high-end restaurants are shuttering due to high rents that they themselves helped to elevate, the trendy little places that followed in their wake will inevitably follow in their demise.

In 1994, the trailer-park, white-trash, small-town theme restaurant Chat 'N Chew opened right across E. 16th street from Union Square Cafe, which opened in 1985. Union Square Cafe is shuttering--and it looks like Chat 'N Chew is already down for the count.



Reader Ben writes in, "They closed down for 'renovations' a year or two ago and re-opened with an updated menu and look. Some of the old comfort food was still on the menu but much had been replaced with more upscale, trendy items. They were trying for a new and different crowd. It didn't work. I guess Sunday was the last day because Monday the paper went up on the windows. There is no sign or any indication that the space will re-open or if it's becoming something else."

The restaurant's website is still up.

Bowlmor

VANISHED

The original Bowlmor Lanes closed Monday night after 76 years in business.

Grieve posted their official goodbye, which states, in part, "Our historic location...is being forced to close in order to make way for a luxury condominium."

The whole building has been stripped of its many independent businesses--including Stromboli pizza, a magazine shop, and a parking garage--all regular-folks kind of stuff, all to make room for yet more luxury condos. Again, the many becomes the one. The democratic becomes the elitist.



I never bowled at Bowlmor after its dreadful renovation, which gutted the place of all its antique character, now just a hazy memory of brown wood paneling and dusty trophies. Still, the death of a bowling alley hurts. My childhood was spent among the lanes.

League nights were spent at the Bowl-A-Rama, occupying myself at the pinball machines and snack dispensers, where many bags of Bugles were consumed while my mother racked up spares and strikes, dressed in a T-shirt emblazoned with the unsavory slogan "Bowlers Do It with Balls."

I remember clouds of second-hand smoke and the yeasty smell of cheap beer. The hollow wooden music of pins knocking into each other, thrum of balls rolling along the glistening maple and pine. That mysterious sign that warned, "Do Not Lob the Ball."



There wasn't much left of the old Bowlmor at Bowlmor. I went looking in vain for it during a final visit. I could barely stand to be in the place, with its screaming music and flashing disco lights. But I do love the look of bowling shoes in their cubbies. And I found this one wall, hung with black-and-white photographs, that brought about a feeling of the old place.

No matter what, it was better than condos.

University Stationery

VANISHED

I like a stationery store. Always have. I like the words "stationery" and "stationer," and I like to see them on signs around the city. So I was disappointed when I heard from reader Chris that University Stationery had closed recently. Also, I shopped there. I made special trips to buy a very particular, perfect-sized notepad on which I wrote my many to-do lists.



I don't know how long they'd been on East 12th and I don't know why they closed, only that their sign says they're sad about it, which makes me think they didn't want to close.



And I wonder if this has anything to do with what's happening directly across 12th Street. Last night was the last night of the original Bowlmor Lanes, after 76 years. Its entire building has been stripped of multiple businesses, all pushed out to make room for luxury condos.

Next to that, also across from the former University Stationery store, a parking garage is being converted into 17EAST12, for yet more ultra-luxurious homes (including a penthouse for $25 million).



The utterly, insanely florid website copy is a must-read. Here's what the developer has to say about 17EAST12: "Situated in one of the most sought-after areas of the city, the building must reflect the prominence of the historic Gold Coast. To create a home of this caliber, I worked with the best: materials sourced from across the globe, a wealth of premium brands, and exquisite layouts and amenities... In the end, each residence needs its own passport."

Without a passport to luxury, a little stationery store couldn't stand a chance on the new "gold coast" of 12th and University. (Dare I say it? God help Cinema Village.)

Jan Sun Laundry

Tom Birchard, owner of Veselka, sent in the news that Jan Sun Laundry on 17th Street and Irving Place is closing after 45 years in business.



Tom writes: "I moved to this street from the East Village eleven years ago and starting taking my shirts there. The gentleman who owns the business told me that when he immigrated here with his parents from Hong Kong the former residents of my brownstone took him under their wing and helped him acclimate to life in the US. They took him to the beach in the summer and helped him learn English. He eventually took over the laundry business and has been running it with his wife ever since. I know that New York is constantly changing but sometimes the loss of these neighborhood stores that make up the fabric of our daily lives really hurts. They will be gone at the end of the month."



I talked to the owner's wife. She told me they decided to retire, after so many years of laundering, to travel and spend time with grandchildren. She also told me about the wonderful sign in the window, which I've admired each time I've walked by.

The sign shows two men meeting on the street. One asks, "Sir, can you tell me where is the laundry that does good work?" And the other responds, "Why sure. Go to the Jan Sun Laundry. All work there is satisfactory."

The sign dates back to the 1940s, when it hung in the first Jan Sun over on Third Avenue. It came to the new place in the 1960s and has been here ever since, touched up to keep it fresh over the years.



I'll miss seeing that sign. Jan Sun is part of a quiet, almost untouched block of mom and pops--a barber shop, a shoe repair place, and a junk shop that recently closed. The lady at Jan Sun told me how the neighborhood has changed dramatically over the years, and how sad it's been to watch her old neighbors--all customers and friends--pass away.

"Now it's all young people," she said. "They're so busy, always on their phones, too busy to make friends."

Barnes & Noble Flagship

VANISHED

The Barnes & Noble flagship store on 5th Avenue and 18th Street closed for good on January 6, and while I generally don't bemoan the loss of chain stores, the death of bookstores makes my blood run cold. Also, this particular Barnes & Noble was special.


Bonus shot of Loehmann's goodbye sign

First, the store had been in this spot since 1932.

It was old and crummy, with the feel of a real bookstore, not a shiny shopping mall experience. The floors crackled when you walked on them. Their selection was vast--not just the bestsellers--you could find almost anything. They sold serious books. And textbooks.



When you followed one of the painted lines on the floor, you were led to the way, way back, to a room filled with textbooks arranged on old metal shelves that climbed to the high ceiling. Here, perusing professors' selections, you could find obscure titles on every subject. Students could also save money by buying used textbooks here. And you could sell your old textbooks back to the store, saving money again.

Bottom line: Yes, Barnes & Noble did their part to kill our independent shops, but this antique felt like a bookstore in New York City and not a place to pick up the latest mass market sensation and a kitten calendar at the Mall of America. (Not that I have anything against kittens.)



About a year ago, I went in to take a few photos, knowing this B&N could not last. It was too rundown, too old, too good. And just look at those bones! (You can hear the realtors gushing.) Greek columns that will look just spectacular in the new Victoria's Secret or American Eagle Outfitters or Abercrombie to come!

Reader George M. wrote in to say: "A store manager said that it will likely become a Duane Reade."

George continued, "When I moved to NYC in 1986 there were at least 30 academic-oriented bookstores spread out all over Manhattan and Brooklyn. Now there is arguably only one left (Book Culture near Columbia U) which is rapidly transforming into a general interest bookstore. As one of its employees recently commented, it's 'Out with Ovid and in with Oprah.'"



Around the corner from 18th and 5th remains the Barnes & Noble super-store on Union Square, a space that is rapidly filling up with crap--board games, stuffed animals, decorative candles, coffee mugs, kitten calendars--more crap and fewer books.

It's a grotesque process to witness, as bookstores become toy stores...



...and books become disposable.


Actual sign in the shuttered store

Qween Amor

You may have seen Qween Amor around town. S/he appears regularly at LGBT-rights rallies, Slut Walks, and Occupy events. S/he's also a street performer. I saw her for the first time on New Year's Eve, dancing in the subway station at Union Square under a banner with the name Mary Magdalene.



I don't usually stop to watch the subway performers who gather crowds, but I could not take my eyes off Qween.

Dressed in a tiny g-string (later, a pink tutu), mesh sleeves, and glittering American-flag stilettos, s/he was kinetic, ebullient, and absolutely hypnotic, doing nothing more than freestyle dancing while lipsyncing to music. Yet coming upon Qween felt like stepping back in time, to an older, wilder New York, where categories blur, boundaries melt, and anything can happen. I felt myself shift inside, the tension and hurry fade away, making space for a sensation that felt a lot like joy. I let three trains go by while I watched for as long as I could, eventually arriving late at my ultimate destination.

Thanks to some Facebook friends who linked me to Qween, I was able to get in touch and ask some questions.



Where do you come from originally, and what inspired you to dance in the subway?

I'm from Florida, and about a year ago I had a few experiences that led to an awakening. I felt the suffering of the world, I experienced the feminine divine (Christianity's "devil"), and I came to know who I am after breaking through that little ego of mine, that still kinda creeps up. I noticed a lot of things that are happening in the world and I also noticed a generation of apathy. So I decided that maybe there is not much I could do to change everything wrong with the world (poverty, homelessness, intolerance, etc.), but I could use music as a voice. Most of the experiences I had were directly related to the music. The music is a form of communication. So when I perform I attempt to let that be recognized--that I'm not just dancing, but also speaking. When I left Florida I knew that I wanted to spread love, and I wanted to preach using the music, because the music will allow me to speak to the hearts of people rather than just their minds.

How do you identify in terms of gender identity? What pronoun do you prefer?

Really I prefer S/he. I like to identify with both genders. This pseudo war between masculinity and femininity is a bit overrated and I like to embrace both aspects of sexuality within myself.

How have people responded to your dancing? When I saw you, a lot of people were having a great time, smiling, and feeling joyful. Have you ever gotten a negative response?

Most people respond in a positive way, but I do come across some people who are just highly ignorant like this guy: "Qween Amor Assaulted." But for the most part, people who don't like it just shake their heads and walk away. Some guys do this really strange thing where they turn their fingers into the shape of a gun and point it at me...and I don't quite understand why they do it, it's really weird.



That's awful. Does this happen in New York City or other places?

In DC, when I first started dancing in Columbia Heights, little kids about 11-12 years old would throw eggs and pennies at me, LOL. I think New Yorkers are more open to freedom of expression than most people. You have ignorance everywhere, but I get a lot of support here in New York and that makes me happy. Most people I meet here are super friendly.

Has the NYPD ever given you trouble for dancing in a g-string?

Oddly enough, the g-string isn't indecent exposure. I don't get in trouble for that. I get in trouble for playing music. I've been arrested several times and have had my amp taken. It's crazy.



What music inspires you the most?

Well Madonna first and foremost. It's like she sings to me. When I first started waking up, Music became a revelation. It was as if angels were calling my name, so I answered. Maybe it's not real, but to me, it feels real. Florence and the Machine, Lady Gaga, Alanis Morrisette, Queen (most definitely Queen, Queen, Queen all the way). I love Queen. Freddie Mercury is a true fucking hero. I like a lot of classic rock. Things like "Carry on My Wayward Son," "Knocking on Heaven's Door," "Dream On." I love Devil Music. It's as if music was specifically created for the Devil to tell the world who s/he is.

Music isn't just entertainment anymore. It's a way of life, it's a form of communication, it's a language. It's a vibration, an energy. I'm able to embody that music and portray those emotions, to the point where I am the Music. When I dance there is no separation between me and the music. We are one.

What's next for the Qween?

Well, I'm going to have to rough it out here in New York until I can get the money I need to buy a van. My ultimate goal right now is just to travel around the country and dance practically everywhere. I want to spread as much Love as I possibly can. I recently just got a room in the Bronx, but I can't stay there, it's not a good environment for me, so it's back to the subway for me, LOL. I really want to make it out to California and dance up the west coast. Starting from San Diego all the way to Seattle. I can't do that without a van. I hear that sleeping in parks in California will get you arrested and I don't have time for that. I have a lot of performances that I want to do, and statements I want to make, but I can't do any of it right now. So right now I'm just kind of surviving until I can start making things happen.


QUEEN AMORE from The Rogue Cap on Vimeo.


You can help Qween Amor by donating money here. Every little bit helps. You can also follow Qween on Facebook and Twitter.