As an Anonymous commenter let us know yesterday, the Thompson Street location of the Porto Rico Roasting Company, more intimately known as Auggie's, has shuttered. Says Anonymous, "I had my last cup of auggie's yesterday afternoon, and this morning the windows are papered over. sad."
Porto Rico Times
Peter Longo at the Porto Rico Times confirms that Auggie's has closed after more than 45 years. Why? "The rent is too damn high." (That seems to be the case up and down Thompson these days.)
I just walked by there recently and took this shot of the great old signage, complete with a New York City phone exchange: WO-6.
These, too, are vanishing fast.
my flickr
It was so sad :-(
ReplyDeleteSeattle also shares similar stories.
One after the other, I have seen many Coffee shops shutting down. If people don't turn up, they can't run a business in loss..Sad..very sad :-(
was a very special place!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad some of these landlords drive out long established mom & pop shops (45 years!) and replace them with fill-in-the-blank chain stores simply because they can make more money. I'm not saying they shouldn't make money, but do they have any remorse over letting their greed destroy the very fabric of our various neighborhoods? Don't they feel any responsibility?
ReplyDeleteI hope to see the day when the pendulum swings the other way and people stop paying exorbitant rents to live on an island infested with nothing but bank branches, chain pharmacies and subway shops.
I don't want to disagree with my old acquaintance Peter Longo, but it is my understanding that Porto Rico Coffee bought the business about 25 years ago from Augie, and since then it has flourished as a hip and convenient place to get good coffee.
ReplyDeleteThe word is that Augie took book and that his old coffee business was merely a front for the action. The sign is from that era.
Not too many years ago, as late as the mid-90s, a social club used by the local "corner boys" and run by the local don (think the Ravenite Social Club) operated just down the street from Auggie's, next to where those folks are sitting. Now it sells dresses.
So soon will Augie's, a place where the neighborhood locals, just like the corner boys of yore, would meet and socialize inside and outside on the sidewalk.
From gangster to hipster to yuppie in 25 years! I never knew entropy happened so quickly.
When Porto Rico took over, it was cause for celebration that a small coffee store would continue.
ReplyDeleteThere's not so much celebrating these days, is there?
When middle class store owners are taxed to the point where they can't afford to live in the city or the boroughs, and the only stores allowed to stay open have to be cloned chain stores like Bloomberg wants, and when people don't OWN buildings, and every rich person in the world wants to move to NYC, then NYC loses it's character and drama.
ReplyDeletethat was a nice place. what ever happened to bubbas? i was on prince, maybe near lafayette? i think i saw it closed several years ago. great sandwiches, you could sit there & read the paper.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me sad. What a beautiful store front. I believe I noticed it in 2005, never realizing I was looking at ephemera. Thank you.
ReplyDelete