Business of the Month: Screaming Mimi’s, 382 Lafayette Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: St. Mark’s Bookshop, 136 East 3rd Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: Matt Umanov Guitars
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: Li-Lac Chocolates
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: Tea & Sympathy, 108 Greenwich Avenue
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: Fresco Gelateria, 138 Second Avenue
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: Mercer Street Books, 206 Mercer Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: Ray’s Candy Store, 113 Avenue A
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: Yakub Shoe Repair, 229 Sullivan Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: Cobblestones, 314 East 9th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: Greenwich Locksmiths
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: B&H Dairy
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: bookbook
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Business of the Month: East Village Cheese
Your input is needed! Today we feature our fourth “Business of the Month” — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich … Continued
Business of the Month: La Bonbonniere
Your input is needed! Today we feature our third “Business of the Month” — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich … Continued
Business of the Month: Sullivan Street Tea & Spice Company
Your input is needed! Today we feature our second “Business of the Month” — the first one selected by YOUR votes! Now tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich … Continued
Business of the Month: Makari
Your input is needed! Today we kick off our new “Business of the Month” feature on independent stores in Greenwich Village, the East Village and NoHo. Tell us which store … Continued
A Celebration of One Hundred Businesses of the Month
Your input is needed! Today we celebrate 100 Businesses of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or … Continued
It’s National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day!
Today, we celebrate National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day. We believe that small-scale entrepreneurs are one of the foundations of our neighborhoods and more than deserving of the recognition … Continued
Why Aren’t These Landmarked? Black History Month Edition
Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo are rich with sites that have played invaluable roles in New York City’s and the nation’s Black history. Too many of these buildings have yet to be protected.
Small Businesses in the Historic Image Archive
Linda Yowell, architect and preservationist, recently donated a wide assortment of photos to Village Preservation’s Historic Image Archive, covering the 1970s through the late 1990s. Among them are images of … Continued
Supporting Small Business in our Neighborhoods
Independent small businesses are one of the cornerstones of our neighborhoods. They don’t just provide services and goods, they respond to the particular tastes and needs of their community. Fashioned … Continued
2022 Small Business Holiday Gift Guide!
Happy holidays, neighbors! If you’ve been struggling to find the perfect gift for the loved ones in your life, look no further. Village Preservation is spreading holiday cheer with a … Continued
The Antique Business District South of Union Square: Charles Cheriff Galleries, 84 University Place
Picture this: fleets of trucks trailing containers full of antiques from all over the world converging in a few dense square blocks. A crowd of dealers from all over the … Continued
Eat Vegan and Support Local Businesses!
No matter where you are in Greenwich Village, NoHo, or the East Village, you are within walking (or ordering) distance of a wide range of culinary options. There are dozens … Continued
De Blasio’s Plan for SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Small Business: Replace Them With Big Box Chain Stores
A plan that does not do what it purports to do is a bad plan. A plan that, on top of that, does the opposite of what it purports to … Continued
Small Business, Big History: Celebrating and Advocating
We continue to advocate for small businesses and to add new local independent businesses to our “Small Business/Big History” signage program, in which we are partnering with great local businesses to … Continued
Small Businesses Meeting the Challenges of Today
Some of our favorite local small businesses were recently prominently featured in the New York Times. Longtime neighborhood anchors Veselka (‘rainbow’ in Ukrainian) and (the former) Dinosaur Hill were the … Continued
Small Business Roundtable: Support, Protect, and Shop!
Small businesses have been on everyone’s mind, and it’s no secret that Village Preservation is working hard to support our local small businesses — from our Small Business/Big History campaign, … Continued
Small Business, Big History, and More
We know you love to support small, local, independent businesses. And we do too. And as the recent NY Times editorial put it this past weekend: “In the darkest days … Continued
Celebrating Black-Owned Businesses in Our Neighborhoods
August is Black Business Month. So we’re showcasing some of the many amazing Black-owned businesses in our neighborhood. Like all our great independently-owned businesses, you can patronize all year round … Continued
Preserving, Adapting, Reusing: Good for Buildings, Good for Clothing, Good for Small Business
We here at Village Preservation are in the business (so to speak) of trying to help ensure historic buildings are preserved and, when necessary, adapted and reused rather than destroyed. … Continued
Spotlight on Small Businesses: La Sirena, 27 East 3rd Street
La Sirena, 27 East 3rd Street A colorful little shop that anyone who has walked on East 3rd Street will recognize is La Sirena. A former Village Preservation Business of … Continued
Small Business EVERY-Day: Mercer Street Books & Records, 206 Mercer Street
Certain times a year like “Small Business Saturday” or “National Small Business Week” we’re encouraged to shop local to promote our independent retailers. That’s nice, but one day or week … Continued
Celebrating Ice Cream (and small businesses) in our neighborhoods
The July heat can be miserable in the city. How do New Yorkers cool off? By hitting up their favorite independently-owned local ice cream shops. Fortunately National Ice Cream Month … Continued
One Street, Many Great Local Businesses: Bleecker Street
Four years ago today, GVSHP launched our Business of the Month program, in which each month a local independent business is featured on GVSHP’s website and blog Off the Grid, … Continued
Shop Local; Small Business Saturday
November 25th is Small Business Saturday to supporting shopping local small shops. We recently hosted an architectural walking tour of Bleecker Street to draw attention to the array of shops … Continued
Preserving Small Businesses with the Murrays
James and Karla Murray are influential artists, small business advocates, and 2015 GVSHP Regina Kellerman Village Awardees. They have captured and preserved scores of Village locales (and thousands of NYC locales). Over … Continued
Black History Month in the Village: The South Village and Little Africa
February is Black History Month. We here at GVSHP want to celebrate it by highlighting different sites of significance to the African-American community within our neighborhoods. Over the course of the … Continued
Support Small Businesses, Today at City Hall
Ever walk by those many empty storefronts, or past the multitude of metastizing chainstores, and wonder what can be done to preserve and protect our small businesses? Today there is … Continued
Happy Birthday Romana Raffetto- Support Your Local Small Businesses!
Happy Birthday to Romana Raffetto, owner of Raffetto’s Pasta located at 144 West Houston Street. Romana was born in a small town in Italy in 1932 called Asolo, known as … Continued
A New Plan to Preserve the Small Businesses We Love and Need
Think about the neighborhood where you live, whether West Village or East, Astor Place or University Place. Regarding your retail shopping options, if you could pick one of the following … Continued
The Small Business Spring of 2015
It was just shy of a month ago, on March 5, that a forum called “Solutions to Save Small Businesses, Art and Cultural Institutions” was held at Judson Memorial Church, … Continued
In Celebration of Independent Bookstore Day
Purveyors of knowledge, solace, companionship, humor, community, and much more, bookstores enrich our lives and of neighborhoods in countless ways. It’s only fitting, then, that we have found numerous ways … Continued
Welcome to the Neighborhood: Unregular Bakery, 124 Fourth Avenue
Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo … Continued
Nurturing Health and Community: Our Neighborhood Pharmacies
Amidst the bustling streets and historic architecture, our neighborhoods’ numerous independent pharmacies stand as critical community pillars of health. These establishments aren’t just places to pick up prescriptions; they are … Continued
Cappuccino: Introduced to America in Greenwich Village, Still Going Strong
Cappuccinos are made from equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foam. While this recipe is not debatable, the origin story is. Various Italian, French, Turkish, Viennese/Austro-Hungarians lay claim to all … Continued
The Modernist Jewelry Studios of Greenwich Village
After World War II, the U.S. saw the rise of modernist jewelry: handcrafted jewelry inspired by Cubism, Surrealism and Constructivism. There were two hubs of this movement: San Francisco, which … Continued
Thank You and Goodnight, Mrs. Maisel!
For five seasons, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel had us slapping our knees and laughing from our bellies with its quick-witted humor and whimsical absurdity. Each character seemed to move at … Continued
A trip through our neighborhoods down Cheesy Street
It is perhaps the most versatile of foods, easily customizable to cultural and personal tastes and endlessly variable in style and ingredients. It is somehow both simple enough for home … Continued
Welcome Aboard, Jena Hinton
Today we welcome Jena Hinton (pronouns: she/her) as our new Program and Administrative Associate. Jena has been an intern with Village Preservation since September of 2021, and has collaborated on … Continued
Welcome to the Neighborhood: Eva Joan, 22 8th Avenue
Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo … Continued
Back and Better than Ever: Linda Pagan and the Hat Shop, Now at 148 Sullivan Street
Sometimes in life, you need to take a step back before taking two steps forward. And sometimes, the step back is the involuntary result of a shove, such as the … Continued
Shop Local and Enjoy the Miracle of Lasagna!
It’s the quintessential comfort food: pasta sheets layered with a variety of sauces, cheeses, vegetables, and/or meats, and then baked so that your bite goes from crusty to chewy to … Continued
Ice Cream Dreaming Through the Village
A wise man once said that only one food goes just as well with pie, coffee, or tears: ice cream. But you can’t always take wise men at their word; … Continued
Neighborhood Bookstores in the Age of Amazon
We held a panel entitled Neighborhood Bookstores in the Age of Amazon in celebration of Independent Bookstore Day, featuring the Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Bookstore (34 Carmine Street), Printed Matter (38 … Continued
Welcome to the Neighborhood: Bronx Brewery, 64 Second Avenue
Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo you’re … Continued
2021 Village Awardee: NewsBar Café, 107 University Place
It’s that time of year again…time for Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards! The Village Awards recognize and honor some of the businesses, organizations, and institutions that make our … Continued
2021 Village Awardee: Linda Pagan
It’s that time of year again…time for Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards! The Village Awards recognize and honor some of the businesses, organizations, and institutions that make our … Continued
2021 Village Awardee: Casa Magazines, 22 Eighth Avenue
It’s that time of year again…time for Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards! The Village Awards recognize and honor some of the businesses, organizations, and institutions that make our … Continued
Matt Umanov: Guitar Hero, Sharing Musical Musings and Memories
Matt Umanov may have closed his shop at 273 Bleecker Street back in 2017, but he didn’t stop working. Umanov is still selling guitars online and providing essential guitar repair … Continued
Ten Years ‘Off The Grid’
A lot can happen in ten years — pop culture references grow old, new technology emerges, and the stories we tell continue to evolve. Village Preservation’s blog Off The Grid … Continued
Tea & Sympathy, 108 Greenwich Avenue
If you’ve ever wondered what in the world treacle pudding is, or how one would properly consume marmite, Tea & Sympathy, the British outpost loved by Sarah Jessica Parker, Dame … Continued
Top Five Most Popular ‘Off The Grid’ Posts of 2020
As 2020 comes to a close, it’s a good time to take stock and look back on our most popular posts of the year. This eclectic mix of culture and … Continued
A South Village Treat: La NewYorkina, 240 Sullivan Street
Village Preservation is committed to supporting, protecting, and promoting small businesses. When we were lucky enough to be introduced to chef, author, and Village entrepreneur Fany Gerson, we were overjoyed. … Continued
Advocacy Made Easy On Our New Website
Advocacy through preservation leadership is one of Village Preservation’s most important functions. You can be a part of that by attending hearings in person or virtually, and sending emails through … Continued
Village Pride & LGBT Establishments
June is Pride Month, a time when LGBT communities come together and celebrate the freedom to be themselves. The Stonewall uprising in June 1969 is the original inspiration behind the annual June festivities. … Continued
Don’t Miss Anything When You Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
It is impossible to attend every single one of our free public programs or rallies or the city hearings that are vital to providing input on policy decisions that impact … Continued
Mostly Good News on Chain Stores in Our Neighborhoods
The twelfth annual ranking of national retailers in New York City by the Center for an Urban Future (CUF) just came out, and it reveals a 3.7 percent decrease in … Continued
Shop ’til You Drop on Bleecker Street!
On Saturday, November 23rd, get a jump on your holiday shopping and support small business at this year’s #ShopBleecker Day as part of the month-long promotion of small businesses along … Continued
Storefronts in Historic Districts — What You Need to Know
Stores and commercial spaces provide important services, products, jobs, and character to our neighborhoods and communities. Small businesses in landmarked buildings and historic districts have many wonderful assets, while also … Continued
Small Stores Thrive in Landmark Districts
It may come as little surprise that many people prefer the vibrancy of a historic neighborhood over the sterile monolithic towers and gargantuan chain stores that dominate all-too-much of the … Continued
Charlie Brown Makes His Stage Debut at Theatre 80, March 7, 1967
On March 7th, 1967, the delightful musical comedy, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, made its debut at Theatre 80 at 80 St. Mark’s Place in the East Village. With … Continued
Good News on Chain Stores for the New Year
The eleventh annual ranking of national retailers in New York City by the Center for an Urban Future (CUF) just came out, and it reveals a 0.3 percent decline in the … Continued
Villagers, (Pumpkin) Spice Up Your Life!
The fall equinox is this weekend, ushering in the start of autumn. As we all know, autumn has a flavor, and that flavor is pumpkin spice. A mixture generally consisting … Continued
My Favorite Things: Ice Cream Edition!
It’s August in New York. It’s hot. Need I say more? And conversations tend to revolve around the temperatures at this time of year. How hot is it? How humid … Continued
A Cast Iron Gem That’s Worn Many Different Hats
The roof of the former McCreery’s Dry Goods Store at the corner of Broadway and 11th Street is obviously an addition. But few know that two different fires in the … Continued
Remembering Romana Raffetto, South Village Pasta and Sauce Maven, Neighbor
We at GVSHP were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Romana Raffetto of Raffetto’s Fresh Pasta, located at 144 West Houston Street. She was a great friend to GVSHP … Continued
Immigrant Heritage Day – Taking a Walk to the Immigrant East Village
Immigration history in New York City is long, storied and full of notable events and movements which are personal and political. The City of New York is the ultimate city … Continued
A New Chapter for Local Bookstores
Some good news for small businesses and the written word in our neighborhoods. Bucking the prevailing trend of disappearing bookstores, we actually have two new ones in our neighborhood, and … Continued
The Village is our Valentine!
Happy Valentine’s Day! For us at GVSHP, the Village, East Village, and NoHo are our Valentine, and we find new reasons to fall in love with them each and every … Continued
Disappearing New York: The Case of the Missing Watch Repair Shop
Like most of us who live and work in the city, it’s hard to imagine living or working anywhere else. I, myself, have struggled with this for many years. Where … Continued
Mixed But Positive News on Chain Stores for the New Year
The tenth annual ranking of national retailers in New York City by the Center for an Urban Future (CUF) just came out, and it reveals a 1.8 percent increase in … Continued
Farewell to Matt Umanov Guitars
Last week Matt Umanov Guitars released the following bittersweet statement: “After fifty-three years of having been in the business of helping so many guitar (and all the other fretted instruments) players … Continued
Puerto Rico On Our Mind Entering Columbus Day Weekend
Puerto Rico is in our hearts and minds these days, both as the island continues to work towards a sustainable recovery after Hurrican Maria, and with the upcoming federal holiday … Continued
East Village Cheese!
Tonight is GVSHP’s Cheese Please! Members Only Summer Tasting at Murray’s Cheese. We LOVE cheese here at GVSHP! Murray’s is a beloved and renowned Greenwich Village staple, and has been … Continued
“Not Another Starbucks” Rally Today
When word got out that a Starbucks was slated to open for the nearly 10,000 sq. ft. space at 125 St. Mark’s Place at Avenue A, it was seen as … Continued
Happy Birthday to the Strand Bookstore!
Today we celebrate 90 years of the Strand Bookstore. This beloved neighborhood institution was founded in 1927 by Benjamin Bass as a used bookstore on the famous Book Row, which consisted of 48 … Continued
Congratulations to 2017 Village Awardee: B & H Dairy
Off the Grid is highlighting the 2017 Village Awards winners in the lead up to the June 6th Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony. Click here for more information about the event and to RSVP. … Continued
Happy Pi Day!
Happy Pi Day! Every year on March 14th is the celebration of the mathematical constant Pi (π) as the month/day (3/14) matches the first three significant digits of π (3.14). … Continued
The Cornelia Street Cafe: Nearing 40, And In Need of Help
The Cornelia Street Cafe which opened its doors in July 1977 needs your help. In 1998, the Cafe was one of the restaurants recognized by GVSHP with one of our annual Village … Continued
2016 GVSHP Year in Review
As 2016 fades into memory, we wanted to look back on all that GVSHP accomplished during the year, and what we have to look forward to in 2017. In 2016, … Continued
113 Years at the Corner of Prince and Thompson Streets
All week we have looked at the rich contents of newly designated Sullivan-Thompson Historic District designation report that was posted last week by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). Today we hone … Continued
Quiz: Do you really #shoplocal?
Quiz time. How well do you know the great shops selected as part of our Business of the Month initiative? Let’s see if you really #shoplocalnnyc Two people with the top … Continued
Chess Forum program this Thursday, Nov. 10th at 7pm!
This Thursday, GVSHP will be hosting a program with our October Business of the Month, Chess Forum. The program is in preparation for the World Championship of Chess, which will … Continued
Witchcraft and EVill
Happy Halloween! It’s a time for tricks and treats and taking to the Village streets for mischief and mayhem, fun and fright, and a parade on 6th Ave. starting at around … Continued
South Village Roundup
Last week, news broke that the City will be moving ahead with the final phase of GVSHP’s proposed South Village Historic District, a roughly ten-block, one hundred sixty building area … Continued
The Birth of the Mega-Bookstore
It’s “back to school” time again, when the temperatures drop (very slightly), students flood back to campus, and we all sharpen our pencils after a leisurely summer. Campus bookstores across … Continued
A Third Life for Three Lives Books?
Did you see the recent letter by the owner of Three Lives Books? The building that has been their home for 33 years is for sale — read the full … Continued
