Back in April, the Seward Park Cooperative decided against renewing the lease for Seward Park Liquors, a business that had operated from a storefront at 393 Grand St. for more than 40 years. The move-out is finally happening early in the new year.
Seward Park Liquors owner John DeBlasio tells us he’ll close the shop in the second week of January. The store is not going far, however. The plan is to reopen in a storefront at 53 Ludlow St. (just below Grand Street) by the end of January.
Meanwhile, plans are underway for a new liquor store in the co-op’s space. Paperwork has been filed with the state for “Grand Street Wine & Spirits.” It’s expected to open at 393 Grand once the new business obtains a liquor permit (the application is in limbo/we’re looking into the reasons) and renovations are completed. The shop will be smaller. A gallery, Ramiken Crucible, is expanding into the back section of what is now Seward Park Liquors.
This past spring, board member Darcey Gerstein told us the decision was a tough one, given DeBlasio’s long history on Grand Street. “We value long-term tenancy,” said Gerstein, but it is also “the board’s responsibility to make the best decision for our shareholders, to take into account the price per square foot (a tenant is willing to pay), as well as the value and service to the community now and in the future.”
DeBlasio took his battle to stay in the Seward Park space public, making various claims that did not sit well with Seward Park management. You can revisit that saga in our past stories.
