New local business still blooming in Long Island City
New art space, Space Womb, 22-48 Jackson Ave in LIC, 917.670.1342
Newly Open
- CrossFit LIC, a new training facility off of Vernon Blvd, opened yesterday. “CrossFit is a broad general strength & conditioning program designed to build a well balanced, healthy individual.” Regular training sessions will be held at 6:30am and 6:30pm starting June 26th, and CrossFit is currently running a special in which your first week is FREE. 5-26 47th Ave, LIC, 646.415.8363
An art space called Space Womb has landed next to the 5Pointz building on Jackson Ave and 23rd St. According to LICNYC: it “has already hosted a bunch of openings and musical performances.” Collected works by Jongwang Lee on view through July 16. Open Thursday to Monday, 12pm to 7pm, and by appointment. Closed Tues & Wed. 22-48 Jackson Ave #1, LIC, 917.670.1342
Matted LIC, a custom framing & gift shop filled with handcrafted goods, home furnishings, and tons of cute accessories, is now open in the old Casa Vizcaya sales office. Currently offering a ‘Good Karma Sale’ of 20% discount on all items valid until August 15th. Official grand opening is June 30th. 46-36 Vernon Blvd, LIC
In The Works
Primp & Curl hair salon coming to the Prestige Condos building. 5-04 50th Ave, LIC
Some kind of a Doggy Day Spa, not to be confused with Camp Bow Wow, is still coming to the retail space in the bottom of Avalon Riverview North. They’ve had some delays but construction is still in progress. 4-75 48th Ave, Queenswest, LIC, 866.211.8735
There’s a new pub called Cassidy’s brewing in the old McReilly’s space. Burgers, fries, beer… now double the capacity. Slated to open early fall. 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC
The space next to Ethereal Boutique is manifesting an Latin/American bistro called El Ay Si. Projected to open in the early fall. 47-38 Vernon Blvd, LIC
Old, old Next Level Floral space at 47-30 Vernon Blvd is still manifesting an Italian restaurant called Testaccio, also slated to open early fall.
Still a rumor: a new, fancy Italian furniture store is supposedly arriving in the ground floor retail space at 10-50 Jackson Ave.
Reopened
After a fire that closed the late 1800s/early 1900s LIC staple in February ‘09, Waterfront Crabhouse reopened last week on June 19th. 2-03 Borden Ave, LIC, 718.729.4862
Retail blooms in Hunters Point; Lots of new Long Island City biz [liQcity]
What a weird place the Space Womb looks like.
I somehow missed the memo that we are not just getting another unneeded Italian restaurant, but another LATIN FUSION TOO?? Seriously?
#3, old news. Don’t complain. Check out how many Greek restaurants there are in Astoria. They seem to survive.
Its not a latin fusion restaurant, it is an American Bistro focusing on comfort food, they will have one or two latin dishes, but it is not a latin fusion restaurant
4, is it an American comfort food place like DuMont in Wburg? That’s the kind of place I think woul ddo great in LIC
Yes something similar to that…
Similar to DuMont? That’s patting yourself in the back a little early, don’t you think?
I would take a DuMont. Can we get a Barcade, Alligator, Union Pool, and Blissville Country Club next?
Court Square Diner > Kellogg’s.
Well It’s Comfort Food, why doesnt everyone just wait and see and judge for themselves…
Is the name of the comfort food place El Ay Si pronounced L I C?
Yes the name of the place is El Ay Si and it is promounced LIC
Too cute names usally foretell bad food. I hope that’s not the case here. Comfort food like Dumont serves would be really, real great. But the name…and then that bit of Latin thrown in….well, I’m keeping my fingers crossed anyway. It would be something really different and welcome around here.
Can someone enlighten me to what “comfort” food is?
I think Tournesol is comparable to DuMont and Diner, no? Similar price range and menu. Just a little too small to regularly eat there. Its stressful trying not to listen to other people’s conversations. And the decor is not as hip I guess.
I am soo excited about this new restaurant. I heard the chef’s previous restaurant in the West Village won several awards. I think we’re all going to be pleasantly surprised…and no, I am not the owner.
#14, like, stuff your mom would make. Macaroni & cheese, mashed potatoes, that kind of thing. I think.
17, I like mac and cheese and mash just as much as the next guy, but some interesting versions of the classics would be great too, like roast chicken and pork, steaks, pot pies, broiled fish, lots of good sides. Sometimes, I just want “normal” but really well-prepared Yank food when I’m sick of sushi, Thai and pizza.
One more thing: the owners should aim for a cozy and not so perfect look (like DuMont). The design of some of the newer restaurants in LIC feels too scrubbed, suburban, middle-class to me — places where you’d take your parents when they come to NYC for a visit. A more laid-back, boho vibe, without being cheap, is what I want to see.
I’m with you #18, enough with the fancy food, some good creative comfort food and decor is just what this neighborhood needs!
Space Womb looks pretty cool, whatever it is. anyone know if 5pointz has reopened?
Still looks blocked off. Sad, I don’t know if it will ever reopen.
“One more thing: the owners should aim for a cozy and not so perfect look (like DuMont). The design of some of the newer restaurants in LIC feels too scrubbed, suburban, middle-class to me — places where you’d take your parents when they come to NYC for a visit.”
Seriously. All anyone tells me when they visit is that the vibe seems to be “cheesy” from the name to signage to decor to patronage of a lot of these places. The aesthetics are just plain awkward.
Rumor has it is that 5pointz will not reopen they are going condo.
The Look of the place will be rustic, were salvaging alot of old stuff and doing some cool things with the space…
#22 i concur.
#22, and #25 ditto.
22, 25, and 26, what places are you talking about? I like the decor and vibe in several neighborhood places. I wouldn’t paint them all in the same brush.
22, 25, and 26, what places are you talking about? I like the decor and vibe in several neighborhood places. I wouldn’t paint them all with the same brush.
#28, I’ll bite.
Off the top of my head: BANY, Blend, Lucky Mojo, Ilhwan, Sushi Siam, Lounge 47, Riverview, Shi, Masso, PJ Leahy’s, La Vuelta, most of the stuff in the Vernonish corridor really. Sterile? Midtown-ish? Can’t put my finger on it but not the sort of place a lot of pe0ple I know would want to really hang out.
Studio Square was completely ridiculous (Long Island/Jersey frat party?) the one Saturday I tried it.
Aesthetics at Dominie’s, LIC Bar, Sage, Communitea, Sweetleaf, Brooks 1890, Dutch Kills are all decent to good. Sometimes a weird crowd still though.
Manducatis could be argued to be weird but its just awesome.
Court Square Diner used to be weirder and now looks more like the interior of a Staten Island restroom but it straightforward enough to get away with it.
Shannon Pot is totally weird and would be better if they got rid of the TVs at least.
Manducatis Rustica is pretty solid decor-wise and the food is great.
Seems like you hop over the Pulaski and things improve a lot… wouldn’t a place like Greenpoint Coffeehouse be great over here?
29, it’s 27/28 here. I think I know where you’re coming from. I also tend to go to restaurants that are more heavy on the authentic, well-worn charm that evolved over time — and less on the glitzy and/or overdone designer “theme” restaurants that have sprung up overnight.
I could be totally wrong here, but I guess that some of the new restaurant owners were aiming their places at a certain older, richer “Midtown-y” demographic they assumed to be moving into the towers, and less so to the younger crowd in the upland areas.
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Nice to see the Crabhouse reopened! I’ll have to check it out and see how they re-did the place after the fire, if at all.