Elizabeth Ladzinski
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
LOWER EAST SIDE — A nameless coffee shop on Allen Street will celebrate its grand opening on Friday.
Bowery Boogie reported on Monday that the coffee shop, co-owned by Ronny Kaj, had opened. But a visit to the shop Tuesday revealed that brown paper had been taped to the windows, and a sign reading, "HVAC repair, Grand opening Friday — MGMT," has appeared on the door.
The narrow shop space, which until December 2010 was home to MakeUpMania, is supposed to serve bagels, dessert items and pastries all made in Park Slope, as well as coffee, according to Bowery Boogie.
This will be the second coffee-shop-without-a-name for Kaj. The first opened in Park Slope at 186 Fifth Avenue, the Bowery Boogie reported.
Neighborhood residents are eager to try a new cup of joe, saying that nearby Sugar Café at 200 Allen Street and the Starbucks at the corner of Delancey and Allen streets didn't quite do the trick for them.
"Sugar's coffee sucks," said Mike Zokari, 24, owner of Stop 1 Gourmet Deli at the corner of Allen and Stanton Streets. He added that he thought the new coffee shop would be a "good addition to the neighborhood."
Jonathan Sarno, a 10-year resident of the Lower East Side, said he would try the new shop if and when it opened.
"There isn't any good coffee around here, that includes Starbucks," Sarno said. He occasionally visited Sugar, but wasn't impressed with the café's coffee.
"As long as it's not Starbucks, I'll try it," said East Village resident Wilma Aponte, 48, who also occasionally visits Sugar when she comes to the Lower East Side.
Kaj could not immediately be reached for comment.
