GREENWICH VILLAGE — A host of decades-old neighborhood mainstays closed in 2015, along with a few shops that barely lasted a year — almost all due to rising rents.
DNAinfo New York took a look back at some of the neighborhood businesses that the Village & SoHo lost this year.
Avignone Chemists
281 6th Ave.
Closed January 2015
Beloved neighborhood store owner Abe Lerner, 62, was forced to close Avignon Chemists after three decades due to a rent hike. "I've spent half my life here," a choked-up Lerner told DNAinfo New York at the time. "I've known many of these people for 30 years; I've seen a lot of kids grow up. A lot of these people have become friends — they're not just customers, they're friends."
Jamba Juice
125 University Place
Closed February 2015
Jamba Juice closed two locations in the Village and SoHo, at 125 University Place and 25 West Houston Street, amid reports that investors were pressuring the smoothie chain to sell off its stores and switch to a franchise model, highlighting New York in particular as an excessively expensive market.
Choga
145 Bleecker St.
Closed February 2015
Korean restaurant and jazz club Choga closed because the landlord would not renew the venue's lease, and because club has failed to turn a profit for the past few years, one of the owners told DNAinfo New York.
Caffe Dante
79-81 MacDougal St.
Closed March 2015
Longtime regulars were heartbroken when they learned that 100-year-old Caffe Dante had been sold earlier this year. It’s since reopened as a more upscale eatery that pays homage to its predecessor both in name (Dante) and in decor, with photos of the previous owners and much of the interior prettied up but largely unchanged.
Grano Trattoria
21 Greenwich Ave.
Closed April 2015
Grano, beloved by the smoke-eaters at the neighboring FDNY Squad 18 firehouse, sat on Greenwich Avenue for 17 years before it shuttered due to rent increases and ongoing construction, the owner said.
Chocolate Bar
19 8th Ave.
Closed April 2015
Chocolate Bar, a favorite of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, was on 8th Avenue for 13 years before it closed in April. The owner said it was not due to a rent hike, but rather because of “rising costs and stagnant sales due to street construction and difficult weather.”
Louro
142 W. 12th St.
Closed June 2015
Louro closed after two-and-a-half years when the landlord at 142 West 10th St. wanted to raise the rent by approximately 70 percent, the chef told DNAinfo earlier this year. Now chef Tom Valenti and his parents want to open a new restaurant in that space, but are facing some community opposition.
Holey Donut
101 Seventh Ave. South
Closed June 2015
Holey Donuts, which specialized in low-fat, low-calorie donuts, went out of business after a year, despite having signed a 10-year lease. The previous tenant, a cupcake shop, lasted a little more than three months.
Jackson Diner
72 University Place
Closed July 2015
This Queens-based diner had barely shuttered before nearby Curry Kitchen on 8th Street tried to poach their clientele. Landlord Isaac Mandalaoui told DNAinfo New York another restaurant is ready to move into the space as soon as some renovations are complete.
Hogs & Heifers
859 Washington St.
Closed July 2015
Legendary biker bar Hogs & Heifers was pushed out by rising rents a few months ago. Check out this before-and-after to see the stark difference between the sticker-covered grungy old facade and the pristine glass-encased whitewashed new interior.
Empire Szechuan
173 Seventh Ave. South
Closed November 2015
Empire Szechuan closed at the beginning of November after 30 years, thanks to a 500 percent rent hike, the owner said.
