Openings and closings: the Psychic Boutique opens, Ellen closes … and more


From left: the Psychic Boutique at 497 Myrtle Avenue and Ellen at 122 Ludlow Street

A new taco truck called El Camioncito has opened near Penn Station at the corner of 31st Street and Seventh Avenue. Nearby, the Empire Room, a ground-floor bar in the Empire State Building at 350 Fifth Avenue between 33rd and 34th streets, has opened. A new Irish gastro-pub has had its soft opening at 247 West 30th Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues, with an official opening date planned for April. 

Farther west, the Ink48 hotel at 653 11th Avenue on the corner of 48th Street has opened its new rooftop lounge.

In the East Village, two recently-vacated neighboring spaces at 105 Avenue A and 103 Avenue A between 6th and 7th streets are reportedly reopening as one, larger eatery. A new Peruvian restaurant called Bar Paya is opening in the neighborhood as well, on Second Avenue near 4th Street. The former Cafe Brama space on Second Avenue between 9th and 10th streets will soon welcome the Village Krust, a pizzeria.

Bravo Pizza is opening in the Zeckendorf Towers at 1 Irving Place on the corner of 14th Street.

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A new restaurant, Balaboosta, has opened in Soho at 214 Mulberry Street at the corner of Spring Street.

After frightening a few loyal followers with an unexpected closing, Sheng Wang has reopened with a complete interior renovation at 27 Eldridge Street on the corner of Canal Street.

In Brooklyn, Bedford-Stuyvesant has welcomed a new southern eatery called Peaches HotHouse at 415 Tompkins Avenue at the corner of Hancock Street. The famed Red Hook food vendors are gearing up to sell their goodies beginning May 1. A new boutique called Meg is opening in Williamsburg at 46 North 6th Street on the corner of Kent Avenue. Cobble Hill is set to welcome a Barneys Co-op store at 194 Atlantic Avenue. A psychic is coming to 497 Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill, according to the Clinton Hill Blog. Carino restaurant is opening in Williamsburg at 82 South 4th Street. Nearby, a new restaurant called Traif is officially opening April 8 on the corner of South 4th and Havemeyer streets. Tony’s Bagelz is coming to 284 Third Avenue in Gowanus. A new Thai eatery is rumored to be opening at 1922 Coney Island Avenue on Coney Island. Crop to Cup Coffee is opening at 139 Atlantic Avenue between Henry and Clinton streets in Brooklyn Heights.

Popular Los Angeles cocktail lounge the Edison is coming to New York, with an as-of-yet unknown location planning to open in about 18 months.

Amid these openings, there were some closings.

La Nacional has been closed for the last three weeks at 239 West 14th Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues due to a kerfuffle with the Department of Health. The owner left a comment on Eater’s Web site saying that the restaurant is working to address the problems and hopes to reopen soon. Park Slope design store Matter is closing up on the corner of Fifth Avenue and President Street. Chanel’s Soho outpost is closing for a few months at 139 Spring Street on the corner of Wooster Street for renovations. The store plans to reopen in September. A vintage boutique called Ellen has closed its doors at 122 Ludlow Street between Delancey and Rivington streets after more than seven years in business. A “For Rent” sign has been spotted over the awning of Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwiches at 150 East 2nd Street on the corner of Avenue A, sparking rumors that the eatery may be packing up its shop. According to the Bed-Stuy Blog, the cafe twofiftyeight has closed at 199 Malcolm X Boulevard between Jefferson and Putnam avenues. The Prospect Heights Dunkin’ Donuts location on the corner of St. Marks and Flatbush avenues has been seized.