The East Village bodega/candy shop Gem Spa, which was famously known for its egg cream drinks, is now permanently closed.
Gothamist first reported the sad news, though a statement was shared on the mainstay’s website earlier today. Here is an excerpt of that statement, which you can read the full version of here. Of course, it had to do with COVID-19:
It is with a heavy heart that we announce Gem Spa has poured its last legendary egg cream and closed its doors forever.
This has been an extremely difficult decision, and one we are heartbroken to make. Forced to close the store due to New York City & State Covid restrictions implemented six weeks ago in the interest of safety to our customers and staff, we had hoped to reopen once things stabilized. Prior to the crisis, it had become increasingly apparent that the evolving character of the area was no longer able to sustain a corner creation like ours.
Coronavirus concerns closed our city, cratered businesses, and ultimately sealed the fate of our (close to) 100-year-old shop.
The website heading reads like a gravestone now: 1920-2020, another victim of COVID-19.
They will still share history via the web page (gemspanyc.com), as well as sell branded merchandise inspired by the iconic storefront.
featured image source: Instagram / @debmartinnyc