LIC new biz update; The Breadbox & Korean-French fusion on the way

The Breadbox bakery nearing completion, 11th St b/w 47th Rd & 47th Ave, LIC

New Biz News

• A Korean/French Fusion Restaurant is rumored to have leased the former Brasil Coffee House space on Vernon Blvd. 48-19 Vernon Blvd, LIC

Old New Biz News

• The owners and operators of the Tennisport Restaurant are bringing a Cuban Restaurant to the space where Spa DiSilva was supposed to – but never – manifested. They’ve already begun work and have filed for a liquor license. 4729 Vernon Blvd, LIC

• Another new restaurant is coming to the new 10-17 Jackson Avenue development next door to Café Henri, and has also filed for a liquor license.

• A burger joint will be settling into the old Tomato and Wasabi location on Jackson Ave at 44th Drive, near Court Square. 25-36 Jackson Ave, LIC

• A new café is coming to the space next to Da Gianni’s Ristorante on 44th Drive just west of 23rd Street.

• Duane Reade is possibly setting up another shop in 2 Court Square, the new Citibank building.

New Biz In the Works

• The former Getty autobody shop on 11th St between 47th Rd and 47th Ave is nearing its ‘adaptive re-use’ transformation into the Long Island City bakery, now known as The Breadbox.

• El Ay Si, the American bistro serving ‘comfort food’ at 47-38 Vernon Blvd, offered initial Chef’s tastings late last month and will be fully open in the coming weeks. 718.389.8781

• A preschool is opening in the ground floor of an old engineering building on 47th Ave, just east of 5th St. Lolly’s Early Learning Center will be ready for tours and full enrollment this November, and fully open for the new year on January 5, 2010. Call 646.351.6077 for more information. 5-44 47th Ave, LIC

• A Doggy Day Spa is still in progress at the retail space in the bottom of Avalon Riverview North. 4-75 48th Ave, Queenswest, LIC, 866.211.8735

• A new, fancy Italian furniture store is still under construction in the ground floor retail space at 10-50 Jackson Ave.

• Guitart & Jones’ Open Door Restaurant serving American tapas will be opening this winter at 5-09 50th Ave, between Vernon Blvd & Jackson Ave.

• CBRE, historically a commercial brokerage, will also be brokering residential sales and rentals out of their new retail space in the bottom of East Coast 6 (aka 4705 Center Blvd), which should also be opening in the fall.

• Natural Frontier Market is opening a new location in LIC to add to its stores in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The health food market is confirmed for the 4000SF ground floor of 12-01 Jackson Ave, @ 11th Street.

Now Open

• A new children’s boutique & consignment store called Little Closets is now open in the former Art-O-Mat space at 46-46 Vernon Blvd. The store offers “a sustainable, ‘recession friendly’, community-oriented retail option for the rapidly growing population of small children in the area,” including “child-friendly décor” with a story corner & puppet theater. They are currently accepting donations; email littleclosets@yahoo.com for more info. You can also check their blog, which is often updated with new products and events.

• The high-flying academy of New York Circus Arts, one of the leading American Contemporary Circus organizations, has moved its space from Manhattan to 5321 Vernon Blvd in LIC. 646.291.6364

Closings

• The Oh So Good Deli on the corner of 44th and Jackson and Thompson is closed.

• The Brasil Coffee House spot on 23rd St at Court Square also seems to be closed.

• City Dog Lounge on Vernon Blvd @ 49th Ave, however, is not closed according to the owners:

Sign on the door of City Dog Lounge – view larger, 49th Ave, Long Island City