NY Central Art Supply

We've been hearing whispers over the past few years that New York Central Art Supply in the East Village may not last much longer.



Now, the following message comes from the Facebook page of James Carroll:

"Artists! Craftspeople! Art material fetishists! Lend me your ears!

New York Central Art Supply, the only remaining east village century-old mom-and-pop art supply store, is facing DIRE STRAITS.

If you need to buy paints, paintbrushes, frames, paper, burins, styluses, gold leaf sizing, paper clips ANYTHING- go to them. Our city is better with small local businesses like these. Their absence would be greatly felt throughout our communities of creative people that need spaces for artist's materials and people to appreciate them.

For every small low-income building turned into a luxury condo is a small business replaced with a corporate store, turning our city into a homogenized mall without any sense of individuality or joyful unpredictability.

62 Third Ave, NY, NY 10003

Run, don't walk!"



I was not able to get further information on what "dire straits" means, but I was assured they're not in immediate danger of closing.

The shop's been in business since 1905.

From the website: "In 1905, New York Central took its name from the train line that fascinated Benjamin Steinberg and represented to him the 'Great American Success Story.' Although the New York Central Line never passed anywhere near its namesake, perhaps the proximity of the Third Avenue El rumbling overhead constantly kept it in mind." The business is still run by the Steinberg family.

Louis Shoe Rebuilders

VANISHING

Louis Shoe Rebuilders has been in business since 1921, originally located on the site of the Empire State Building before there ever was an Empire State Building. When the new skyscraper opened in 1931, the landlord took Louis in. But they won't be there for much longer.

The 94-year-old shop will be closing at the end of June.

Owner Beatrice Barbieri told me, "We're not having our lease renewed." In addition, "They want $25,000 and nobody can pay that on shoe repair."



The Empire State Building is owned by Empire State Realty Trust, run by the Malkin family, who bought the building from Donald Trump in 2002.

The building is going through changes. Tony Malkin has said he considers it the center of Silicon Alley and a "premier urban campus" for tech companies. Ground-floor windows are papered with "Retail Space Available" signs. Banners wrapped around the scaffolding cheer: "$550 Million in Building Upgrades" and "Creating New Jobs in New York."



But jobs are also being destroyed here, like the one done by cobbler and store manager Julio Galvis for the past 27 years.

"My whole life," said Mr. Galvis. Or so it feels.

"It's sad, but what can you do? The little guys can't survive in Manhattan anymore."



Ms. Barbieri explained how "all the small shops" have been pushed out of the Empire State Building, replaced by chains. There's Starbucks, Bank of America, Chipotle, a forthcoming Build-A-Bear Workshop, and many more. According to rumor, a Mexican restaurant chain is moving in to Louis' space, possibly combined with the empty space next door.

"It's a terrible thing," Ms. Barbieri said. "Landlords only want to be interested in renting to people with a lot of money, who want a whole floor. Big business doesn't want to be bothered with the little guy. We're being wiped out."



Ms. Barbieri's customers are upset about the closure. Many have been getting their shoes shined and fixed here for decades. And with so many shoe repair shops getting pushed out of business by rising rents or denied lease renewals, there are few options left. One man recently walked 18 blocks to Louis, because he couldn't find another cobbler anywhere.

Some of the store's employees are leaving the city, going as far as Ohio to work with shoes. Ms. Barbieri is heartbroken.

"I had two shine people who were worth diamonds!"



The furnishings inside the shop are also gems, including vintage waiting booths with chrome-topped swinging doors. Ms. Barbieri cared for them diligently through the years, and recently refurbished the set.

"Now I have to tear them out and throw them away. Nobody cares. We're all gonna be swallowed up."



Referring to the shop's well-seasoned age, Mr. Galvis said, "We're a landmark."

They should be. But New York City has no protections for mom and pops, no selective rent control for legacy businesses, no Small Business Survival Act, no ordinance to control the spread of chain stores.

"Small businesses kept the city alive," Ms. Barbieri said. And now? "New York is dead."




- Thanks to Alex Vadukul for letting me know about Louis' closure. He wrote a lovely piece about the shop for the New York Times in 2012.


- Please join #SaveNYC to help stop the destruction.


More cobbler shops--mostly lost:
A. Fontana Shoe Repair
Jim's Shoe Repair
Magic Shoe Repair
David's Shoe Repair
Hidden Shoe Repair Shop
Andrade Shoe Repair
Cobblers of Brooklyn

Unchain Challenge

While I'm in the fight to stop the spread of big, national, global chain stores in the city, I am no purist. As I've said here before, for me, it's about moderation. But even if you want to avoid the chains completely, it isn't easy. As they proliferate, they destroy the alternatives, taking away our ability to choose.

Writer and urbanist Matt Falber has taken on the challenge to shop only local in New York City. He's blogging about it on his site. So far, quitting the chains cold turkey hasn't been easy. I asked Matt a few questions about his endeavor.


Matt at his local pharmacy

Q: What made you take this on?

A: I was volunteering at a town hall a few weeks ago. People were contributing ideas about how to improve quality of life and I was writing them on a whiteboard. One man said to me, "We need to learn from what's happened to the West Village and Chelsea and keep it from happening to other neighborhoods."

I knew what he meant immediately. I regularly mourn the sad state of 8th Ave between 23rd and 14th Street. It seems more empty than full. Several businesses that I admired all over the city have closed their doors because of high rents. And there's always the lingering fear that if the businesses can't afford to live in the city, how will I continue to afford to live in the city.

Then I read the piece that The New Yorker wrote this past weekend about the "blighted" West Village. It was a brilliant way to frame it, as Robert Moses tried to have the entire neighborhood demolished by calling it blighted. In a way though, it's true. We're losing the very thing that makes NYC special. For a while I've been saying to people, maybe it will fix itself. If all the restaurants can't afford to be there, maybe the rents will go down. The problem is, while small businesses can't afford it, chains can. And there's very little that's unique about the businesses that replace local institutions once they close.

Then, two days after reading The New Yorker, I was wandering through the East Village. That's when it hit me. Despite all of the businesses that have closed down there, that's the city that I love. It's unique and creative and you can actually see it disappearing as chains and luxury buildings encroach. At that moment I felt I had to do something. I also realized that I've been a fervent supporter of chains. I'm admittedly impressed by the way some chains operate. For example, Chipotle responsibly sources their food, but if I'm eating at a Chipotle, I'm missing out on what makes NY different from any other place.


Q: How's it been to go from chains to unchains?

A: Well, I've just started, but it's actually been harder than I thought it would be. I've already found myself frustrated because I'm hungry and everywhere I look it seems like there's only chain options. I walked from 28th and Broadway to 40th and 8th the other day and the vast majority of businesses were chains. I'm talking like one or two places a block that weren't.


Q: What do you miss about the chains?

A: The convenience. I don't have any good coffee shops near me in Washington Heights. The comfort of knowing what you're getting. The fact that Starbucks has offered me a free drink on my birthday. I really spent a lot of time deciding whether it would be acceptable to redeem it. I don't think this is just about financial exchange though. If I'm in a Starbucks, I'm not really getting anything special.

I'm not saying every moment of our lives has to be unique and original, but I think the whole point of doing this is to take a stand and say that the character that small businesses bring to our city is one of the things that makes us unique. New York wouldn't be known for its matzoh ball soup, egg creams, or bagels if it weren't for small businesses.


Q: What do you like better about the mom and pops?

A: So far, I've had really great conversations about things, though not always. Some small businesses aren't very friendly, but others have tons of heart. The coffee shop I wrote about on my first day, Cafe Bruins, is a pop up. The owner just decided he wanted to do something in an interesting space. It's as much about the quality of the experience and the product as it is about making a dollar. My barista, a really knowledgeable guy named Sasha, told me all about the process that was involved in making each of the coffees they served. The staff were also really interested in getting to know me.

It was so different than queuing up in a Starbucks and paying for a flatwhite with my smartphone.

Sasha relayed to me that he's not sure how Starbucks could even make an actual flatwhite as they don't have the equipment for it.


Q: How long do you think you can keep this up?

A: I'm not sure. So far it requires a fair amount of planning. I'm going to try to make it a permanent way of life, as long as I'm not visiting somebody in a suburb. Lots of my friends in smaller towns have told me they wouldn't be able to attempt something like this where they live.

Despite the initial effort, the hope is that as I get used to new places it will become easier. I think we're very conditioned to look for brand names. I've found myself realizing businesses I never noticed before because their name was printed in a fairly standard font on an awning the same color as a row of businesses next to theirs. I think that several small businesses could learn a lot about presentation and making themselves stand out. Then again, there's plenty that are good at it that I did notice but might not have patronized out of convenience.

I really hope that by writing about the places I go, I'll inspire others to walk a little farther for something unique. Unless we want chains to continue to dominate the island, we've got to make a conscious effort to support businesses operated by creative locals.


Stop the chaining of New York City. Join #SaveNYC! 

Out There!

Who says New York is dead? (Dying, I say, not dead.) Historic preservationist Kyle Supley (he helped get new homes for the Moondance and Cheyenne diners) is running a Kickstarter to preserve and showcase all that is still cool about New York City, and he needs your help to make it happen.

I asked Kyle a few questions about Kyle Supley's Out There!



Q: What inspired you to launch this project?

A: I'm making "Kyle Supley's Out There!" to showcase what's great about New York City, along with the New Yorkers making it happen.

Having lived in New York for 13 years, I've met incredible people, visited amazing places, and experienced one-of-a-kind things in this city that are too cool to keep to myself.

I have been a collector of antiques since I was young and have always been intrigued with preserving stories as well as things. Recently I realized that the people I know in New York are just as important, if not more so, to showcase and preserve for future generations, and felt that a quick and fun-to-watch show would be a great way to accomplish that.


Q: Many people complain (myself included) that there's not much left of the "real" New York -- the eccentric, odd, and outsider. Is this what you're seeking in "Out There" and how do you go about finding it?

A: I would agree that NYC is quickly losing its creative, quirky, and interesting people at a faster rate then ever due to soaring rent prices and the general suburbanization that seems to be unstoppable as of late.

Having moved to the city in 1999, I feel fortunate to have been able to experience a great deal of what was remaining of the gritty and alternative spirit, and I hope that with this project, I can capture those who are still holding on and continuing to keep New York, New York.

There are still many amazing small designers, event producers, cabaret performers, restaurateurs, and artists creating, living, and giving their all here. I want to help audiences learn about these people and places.


Q: How do you respond to those who might say that, by 1999, the gritty and alternative spirit of New York was already gone?

A: This show will not be focusing on what has been lost, but rather on people and places from the past who are still thriving today. We'll also introduce viewers to new and emerging talent who are keeping the spirit of New York alive through performance, fashion, small businesses, and more.

While it is true that we have lost a tremendous amount of creative capital and places that could only have been found here, this is still the greatest city on earth with lots to uncover.


Q: Who can we look forward to meeting on future episodes?

A: If I reach my goal, I have a number of confirmed guests for the show that exemplify this true New York spirit. Performer and comic Bridget Everett, blind-contour drawing artist Ian Sklarsky, phonograph DJ and vintage barber Michael Haar, and the incredible drag icon Flawless Sabrina, who has lived in her home on the Upper East Side for 47 years, just to name a few.

Performers that I would like to have on the show include mainstays such as actress and performance artist Penny Arcade, cabaret performer Joey Arias, psychedelic artist Joshua Light Show, and young singer and actress Bridget Barkan. They represent the true spirit of the city and offer a nod to the past but with a focus on new works for the future.


Kyle Supley is an actor, singer, and photographer (Instagram: ksuper), as well as an avid mid-century design historian and New York City preservationist.

Please visit Kickstarter to learn more and to help fund Kyle's show. He's only got 15 days to reach his goal or no show.

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."

East Village Cheese Update

Reader and local comic Ben Asher writes in with an update on the future of East Village Cheese:

"I spoke with East Village Cheese today. They said they found a new place on E. 7th st, b/w 1st and 2nd Ave. South side of the block. They expect to move in June."


photo: Kate Puls for #SaveNYC

As E.V. Grieve first reported, the Duane Reade on the corner of 10th and 3rd is expanding, and so three small businesses have gotten the boot: the cheese shop, along with a newsstand and the Excel framing shop.

Ben also notes "that not all of the businesses on the block are being kicked out to make way for the expanded Duane Reade." The UPS store and the Organic Avenue, both chains, will stay. Said Ben, "The woman who worked at E.vil cheese thought that was pretty lousy, considering E.vil Cheese has been there over 30 years and the framing store over 25 years."

Eagle Provisions

VANISHED

After more than 75 years in Greenwood Heights, the Polish grocery store Eagle Provisions closed last week.

One More Folded Sunset was there and took a look inside.


photo: One More Folded Sunset

The Brooklyn blogger writes of the emptied space: "Pope John Paul II remains on the wall, a benevolent presence above the deli counter, and a single, skinny, length of kabanos hangs alone amidst Christmas tinsel. Farther along the wall, you can still see the portrait of John, Richard & patriarch Szczepan Zawisny, taken in earlier years, which shows them surrounded by the fruits of their labor - a glorious bounty of sausage and ham."

This time, it wasn't about rising rent. It was about people getting tired, and struggling to keep pace with a changing neighborhood.

“We’ve adapted as much as we could,” co-owner John Zawisny told Brooklyn Paper last year. “But there’s only so much you can do.”

In a Times story yesterday, Vivian Yee wrote about Eagle Provisions and other Brooklyn businesses "calling it quits" in the changing city: "After decades of anchoring their neighborhoods, these business owners have found that they no longer quite belong."


2014