What the Death of Charlies Means for 14th Street

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Vanishing New York already tackled the imminent closing of Charlies, the 41-year-old odds-and-ends shop at 532 East 14th Street, but the Villager revisits the topic today and uses it as a springboard to discuss the gentrification of 14th Street east of First Avenue. Now, the south side of East 14th Street—basically the lid on top of the jar that is/was Alphabet City—has been undergoing "gentrification" for over 20 years, but it has mostly held out as a collection ethnic stores, tchotchke shops and other miscellaneous retailers. The owner of Charlies swears that this time, the 'hood is changing for good, and you know what? We think we agree. The rear tower of the A Building, with its rooftop pool and glassed-in wealthy residents, has joined the block, and now the Knitting Factory is trying to relocate to the area. Not the most earth-shattering developments, sure, but certainly an indication that East 14th Street perhaps no longer can or will rely on nearby Stuyvesant Town for its survival.
· Cheap Charlies finds it’s now too expensive to stay on 14th [Villager]
· Yes! This is Charlie's [Vanishing New York]

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