First there were reports that Papaya King, a New York institution at 86th and Third, had a date with the wrecking ball. Then came word that a “cash mob” rode in on a white horse to save the restaurant from extinction. Next came the happy ending: Papaya King had found a new home from which to dispense its legendary red hots. And if that wasn’t happily ever after enough, the new location — 1535 Third Avenue, between East 86th and 87th streets — was directly across the street from the original one. If that wasn’t a decree from the unseen forces that control the universe, nothing is.
But now a new report suggests it’s curtains for the hot dog peddler after all. According to Upper East Site, not only will Papaya King not reopen across Third Avenue as noted earlier, but the franchisee is also being sued by their new landlord for $4.4 million. Here are the sordid details:
According to the complaint filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Papaya King violated the terms of its lease, signed last March, by not replacing its security deposit with a letter of credit, failing to maintain a $5 million insurance policy on the premises, and by not opening for business within six months of the lease signing.
[…]
Court filings state that on November 1st, the building’s owner reclaimed the storefront, taking control of the unfinished restaurant. However, the same filing also states that Papaya King is trying to regain possession.
In an apparent attempt to prevent reentry, the doorway to 1535 Third Avenue is now boarded up and chained shut with a large blue Retail Space for Lease sign in the window.
We’ll keep you apprised should there be further developments in the saga.
Free Mean Girls Shots
To celebrate the premiere of the new “Mean Girls” movie this weekend, Grand Army Bar in Boerum Hill is offering a free “You Go Glen Coco” shot to customers who have seen the film.
From Thursday, Jan. 11, through Sunday, Jan. 14, any guest who presents a ticket stub or receipt from the movie will receive the cocktail — made with equal parts Malibu rum, Yola mezcal, Empirical Symphony 6, and edible glitter — free of charge.
Grand Army Bar, 336 State Street, Brooklyn.
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