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Pommes Frites Reopens in Greenwich Village a Year After Explosion

By  Valeria Ricciulli and Allegra Hobbs | May 23, 2016 11:16am | Updated on May 23, 2016 6:44pm

 Owners Suzanne Levinson and Omer Shorshi are thrilled to be serving up their iconic fries and dips out of their new West Village location.
Owners Suzanne Levinson and Omer Shorshi are thrilled to be serving up their iconic fries and dips out of their new West Village location.
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DNAinfo/Allegra Hobbs

GREENWICH VILLAGE — Pommes Frites, the popular Belgian fries spot destroyed by the East Village gas explosion last year, reopened Monday near Washington Square Park, the owners announced on a Facebook post.

"Welcome back! NYC is whole again!" said Facebook user Mark Clarke.

Owners Suzanne Levinson and Omer Shorshi said they have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of community support and excitement since unveiling their new 128 Macdougal St. location, with longtime fans stopping by to offer their congratulations and to dip into the mainstay fries once again.

"We're so excited — I think we're still living in the twilight zone," said Levinson. "I don't think we realized the power of Pommes Frites."

The owners raised $25,735 through an online Indiegogo campaign to cover the reopening costs. Donors will get T-shirts, vouchers, an invitation to a private party, and their name in the menu.

Levinson and Shorshi, who opened the restaurant 19 years ago in the East Village, kept customers updated on the rebuilding process from signing their new lease, to getting their DOB gas authorization.

"We are quietly opening ... at 11am with limited staff and limited hours," read Monday's Facebook post. "Please bare with us as we organize ourselves; and smooth out the kinks for the next two weeks."

The reopening process since the neighborhood tragedy has been long and filled with hurdles, said Shorshi — but the duo feels fortunate to be able to keep doing what they do best, he said, and are excited to begin a new chapter for their small business.

"We're trying to put it all in the past and go back to our day to day — serving fries," he said.