Ghost Signage Appears at Southpaw/ NY Kids Club Space

You never know what's going to be lurking underneath signs when they get taken down. Sometimes it's just a blank wall, other times remnants of a previous occupant have been lurking underneath for years.

An example of the latter recently re-appeared on Fifth between St. Johns and Sterling, on the facade of the storefront that was last occupied by Southpaw, and where NY Kids Club is currently under construction. The letters themselves were removed, but you can still clearly read the words "discount center," which was the no-frills name of the long-running business that was in the space before the music venue moved in in June of 2002. 

Open for Business: Starbucks Coffee, 164 Park Place

It's been just over three months since Five Guys closed up shop on Park Place between Seventh and Flatbush Avenues, and this morning a Starbucks opened up in the space. It's nicely laid out, has plenty of seating, and seems primed to be a gold mine for the company.

If Five Guys, which replaced a long-running stationery store in 2011, didn't take full advantage of the ample space, this Starbucks does. There's room for about 50 to sit comfortably, at communal tables, on individual leather chairs, and at cafe-style tables. The walls are painted a neutral gray, and the large front windows let in a lot of natural light.

A handful of folks had already taken advantage of the wi-fi and had camped out for the day. That combined with commuters stopping in on their way to or from the subway and others looking for their caffeine fix should all but guarantee that this Starbucks doesn't meet the same fate as its fast food predecessor.

Video Emerges of Car Crashing into Fifth Avenue Deli

On Wednesday morning at about 6:15 AM, a white minivan lost control and crashed headlong into the bodega on the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and Ninth Street. Thankfully, there were only a couple minor injuries, but as the below video shows, two women out jogging were narrowly missed.

According to the report, the driver of the car that hit the van was supposedly distracted due to "family issues."

As of last night the deli was back in business, although they still need to get their glass replaced.

Far East to Open in Sun Bo Bo Space

Sun Bo Bo, the family-owned Chinese restaurant on Fifth between 10th and 11th Streets, shut down last year after over 15 years in that location and many more elsewhere in the neighborhood. The space has been empty for a while, but a new Chinese restaurant will soon be opening in the space: Far East.

 Not much else is out there in the way of details, but all signs point to this being a run of the mill Chinese joint. My guess is that it'll be opening pretty soon.

Signage Up at Park Place Pharmacy

The pharmacy that's been in the works on Park Place between Seventh and Flatbush is just about ready to open, and last night signage went up. 

The no-frills Park Place Pharmacy is much smaller than the two competitors that are just steps away, Duane Reade and Kings. Whereas those behemoths sell just about everything under the sun, though, this one will be a lot more specialized. 

Two neon signs dominate the back of the space; one says "Consultations" and the other says "Prescriptions." There are a couple coolers stocked with beverages, and a few racks on the two walls with soap, shampoo, lotions, and the like. Nothing too out of the ordinary. 

There's certainly plenty of competition, but this seems to be to be almost like a pharmacist setting up a private practice. A man I spoke with who appeared to be the owner told me that it should be open within two to three weeks.