Last year I added ages to the vanished places. This year the list is too long to bother tracking all that down. Also for 2007, I broke it up into two posts, one for the vanished and another for the probably-will-vanish. This time I've combined it all into one.
VANISHINGS
Vanished:
Second Childhood
Armando's
The Minetta Tavern (as it was)
Bobby's Happy House (and more of 125th)
Mili Quality Cleaners
A. Fontana Shoe Repair
Chez Brigitte
Taxi Ray Kottner
Nick's Hairstylists
Cafe Figaro
Nusraty Afghan Imports
Kim's Mediapolis
Tribal Soundz
The Pioneer Theater
The Tower of Toys
Chelsea Liquors
Five Rose's Pizza
Angelica's Herbs
David's Bagels
Burritoville
Nikos newsstand
8th Street Salvation Army
Yankee Stadium
Shea Stadium
Florent
Along with more vanishings of:
Newsstands
Parking Meters
The Bowery
Elizabeth Street
Not coming back?
The Holland Bar (suspiciously gutted)
Vesuvio Bakery (rumored to be sold)
M&G Diner ("on vacation" since the summer)
STILL KICKING:
Antiques Garage: lease extended
Sweetheart Coffee: successfully reopened
Kim's: opened a new store on 1st Ave
Cheyenne Diner: still planning a move to Red Hook
International Bar: reopened under new management
12th Street (now Atlantic) Books: moved to Brooklyn
Yes, This Is Charlie's: moved to Ave C
St. Brigid's Church: preserved by anonymous donor
Sophie's and Mona's: saved by a family member
Sunshine Hotel: lease extended
Streit's Matzo Factory: off the market
TO VANISH IN 2009:
Love Saves the Day: closing in January
The Henington Press: closing in January
P&G Bar (as it is): moving in February
Chez le Chef: closing in March
Chelsea Mobil: sold
Pen & Brush Club: for sale
Kim's Video Collection: going to Sicily
David's Shoe Repair: in trouble
Through all this I found your blog!!Thanks for your earnest reporting and heartfelt sentiments. Happy New Year to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget the Polk Theater in Jackson Heights
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jacksonheightslife.com/community/index.php?topic=357.0
Don't forget St. Saviour's Church, which has disappeared temporarily but will hopefully be restored soon.
ReplyDeleteWhat about affordable MTA fares?
ReplyDeleteAlthough some could argue that the MTA fares stopped being affordable when the fare was raised to $2.
J, reading this is sadder than reading all of the Times obits. I see a place where I had my hair cut; I see a small restaurant ("seats 11 -- all at one time") where I dined once a week. What's left? Duane Reade? Bank branches? Oh, I forgot, Tippi Hedren's House of Cookies.
ReplyDeleteUgh.
ReplyDeleteHere's to a better 09?
with new development and condo sales dead in the water, with wall street on the run and bush out of office at last...i'm cautiously optimistic about 2009.
ReplyDeletein the words that once graced the bar above George's, aka the Verchovyna, aka Bar 81: "Have a Happy."
Technically, David's Bagels did not Vanish. It was forced from it's location on 13th st and moved five blocks up to 18th st. You should go there. They're great.
ReplyDeleteBe, their other location was forced out by the landlord. but, yes, they still exist in their second location further up.
ReplyDeleteHappy new year and congrats for blog of note.
ReplyDeleteCan we collectively pray that whoever bought Vesuvio Bakery will not heartlessly destroy it?
ReplyDeleteOMG, this is sad. I know and love some of these places. What are we going to be left with? What's going to spring up in place of these things? More banks?
ReplyDeleteI shudder to think of what's happening to our city...hell, our entire country, really...
I just learned that the Knitting Factory and Wetlands are kaput as well.Damn shame! Soon there won't be any place left where folks who don't make six figures can just hang out.
ReplyDeleteI guess that's what happens when billionaires are running things.
M&G Diner ("on vacation" since the summer)
ReplyDelete...has anyone checked on them? That's a LONG vacation!
No longer living in NYC, its great to have a blog like yours explain to me where stuff went.
ReplyDeleteI was there in October walking down ave B and looked up and went "WTF!" when I saw no tower of toys.
Very sad...along with Florent and a number of the other places.
Its very disconcerting to come home and find things that have been there for years just vanished.