Trader Joe’s Officially Announces Upcoming East Village Location

Trader Joe’s East Village is coming

After various rumors circulating that West Coast grocery store brand Trader Joe’s would open in the luxury rental building located at 432-438 East 14th St. in the East Village, there finally seems to be actual confirmation. The official Trader Joe’s website has added the East Village address to its list of upcoming stores. An opening date has not been announced

Another West Coast coming attraction, an opening, and a revamp

San Francisco fast-casual import Proper Food is opening a new location in Midtown at 40 West 44th St. on May 20. This will be the third NYC location of the chain.

The Blue Moon Hotel at 100 Orchard St. added an outpost of Davidovich Bakery, which also operates in Chelsea Market and the new Essex Market. At the hotel, the bakery is serving bagels, sandwiches, and other baked goods.

On the Lower East Side, the six-year-old corner bar known as RPM Bar has changed its name to the Emma Peel Room, named after the fictional spy character from the British television series The Avengers in the 1960s. Ownership remains the same.

A closing and a reopening in Nolita

The X’ian Famous Foods located at 68 Kenmare St. in Nolita will close on June 1. According to a notice from CEO Jason Wang, the space there is too small, and the company will be searching for a new location. The nearby location in Chinatown will remain open.

Nearby, a flood closed down Alvin Cailan’s the Usual at 30 Kenmare St. for the past few weeks, but the restaurant is up and running again with redesigned interiors and several new menu items, including garlic noodles with sautéed shrimp. The restaurant will also roll out breakfast and lunch in the coming weeks.

A Basque wine festival heads to town

The eighth annual iteration of Txikifest, a festival celebrating the Basque effervescent wine known as txakoli, returns to NYC on Sunday, May 19, sporting an impressive lineup of chefs. In addition to wine, there will be accompanying street food bites. Chefs Alex Raij and Eder Montero of Txikito, El Quinto Pino, La Vara, and Saint Juilivert Fisherie will bring in Jonathan Hooper and Peter Meehan for Eastern North Carolina-style whole hog barbecue, Bob Truitt of Casa Pública for shrimp and octopus coctel, and John McCarthy to make anticucho skewers, a Peruvian style of yakitori. Fany Gerson of La Newyorkina will be on hand with paletas for dessert. The fair, which takes place in the back alley of Txikito, runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and tickets can be purchased here. They are $65 and include all food and drink as well as a txakoli glass designed by a local artist. All proceeds benefit Esperanza NY, a non-profit alternative to incarceration for court-involved youth in the city.