Wednesday, September 07, 2016

More Changes on Chelsea's 8th Avenue


Still more openings and closings on Chelsea's 8th Avenue. First up, my friend Greg noticed The Blue DVD next door to Gym bar has a "for lease" sign in its window. While I've never understood how these places stay in business -- how much Boy Butter can one person buy? -- I do wonder where I will buy my blue DVDs if it does end up closing. (Also wonder how they stay in business with The Blue Shop, Rainbow Station, Vibe and The Sexy Boutique all within a three-block radius of it.) 


Near 15th street I see Shorty Tang Noodles is going in the place next door to where Mezza Luna Pizza once resided on the north and the also-closed La Taza De Oro to the south. Shorty claims to have been in business since 1968, but you know how prone to exaggeration the diminutive can be. 


And on the northwest corner of 17th and 8th, where the Koffeecake Cafe briefly did business, it appears yet another new Asian (Chinese?) restaurant is moving in, despite the fact that Koffeecake's predecessor was a failed Thai place called the Nooch. (Good ruck!)


El Cid, the rowdy sangria bar between 18th and 19th, put up a sign that they were closing for a summer break.


But summer's over now and there doesn't seem to be any sign of life at the joint.

UPDATE: In December 2016, the place reopened as Sugar & Spice Tapas Restaurant and Sangria Bar. 


The former Lightforms turned gay clothing store Efor seems to be coming back as a deli/cafe of sorts. Given how many of those the neighborhood has lost, I'm eagerly awaiting its opening.


Elsewhere in the neighborhood, I noticed that the longtime 23rd Street home of Steel Gym, which closed abruptly and without explanation in June, is about to reopen as Rumble Fit NYC, a boxing-inspired group fitness gym. 


Meanwhile over in the Meatpacking district, the former home of the beloved Florent diner is now a J. Crew-owned clothing store called Madewell. Read about this sad turn of events HERE.


Keep me posted on more 8th Avenue changes by emailing me HERE.

1 comment:

One of the CA 36,000+ said...

It's hard to hear about all the changes to gay NYC, especially that stretch of 8th in Chelsea. I used to visit NYC on business a lot, and my little treat to myself was always an extra weekend to play "gay tourist". Eighteenth & Eighth was the very first restaurant in NYC at which I dined on my own nickel (instead of expensing it), way back when I was a gay duckling in the mid 90s. Back then I was single and a bit closeted. Who knew that I'd end up where I am now: in my 50s, out and proud and happily married in the southern CA suburbs?! I haven't been back to NYC since 2005 (!)-- and even with all the changes, it's time for me and my husband to head back for a visit! I hope the Duplex is still open...!