We've covered what we've heard of Gertel's imminent demise on this blog since last fall. It's been disheartening work, and confusing work, too, since the owner of one of the last great Lower East Side kosher bakeries kept denying that the shop would make way for a developer who wanted to put a condo on that spot.
Well, the other shoe finally dropped today. Racked reports the findings of a reader who said, "Gertel's posted a sign yesterday saying that the store is closing for good as of June 22. And, significantly, the two-lots-wide one-story tile warehouse right next door has recently vacated the premises as well. That's a big footprint to build on. Neighborhood character gives way to eight-story condo development."
As reported before, the owner says the business will continue as a wholesale affair. It's small comfort for seeing a visible, visitable piece of LES history fall to the market. Three more days of fine challah and rugelach. I'll find a way to get there before Friday.
Yurgh. Also closing, after EIGHTY years-Embassy Florists on 91st and Broadway, due to massively increased rent. Just one of many UWS forced closures.
ReplyDeleteDo the landlords all have their heads up their asses? Many/most of the spaces formerly occupied by small local businesses on the UWS (e.g. Murder Ink on 92nd and Broadway) are STILL vacant months after their former tenants decamped. With all this vacant space, high rents, and the finite number of Starbucks/Duane Reades/Chase Banks (please God?) that can occupy the spaces and pay rents, won't the:
1-market be glutted with unrentable at these prices retail space
2-neighborhood be destroyed, become less desireable hence the rents are unsupportable?