Spyder Insider
Rock n Roll Pizza Parlor
By Spyder Darling
(NYC) Free Heineken, sausage and margherita slices and autographed pizza boxes? Not bad for a Wednesday night on Ave. A. All this delectable, collectible fun was in honor of the opening of The Pizza Shop (110 Ave. A, at 7th St.). Also on hand to lend artistic cred to the cheesy, meaty, goings on was legendary photographer Bob Gruen who personally approved the first of the shop's limited edition pizza boxes, a classic image of the Clash's Joe Strummer, Paul Simonon and Mick Jones. With "you should get to know your town, just like i know mine" from the Clash's "City of the Dead" printed below, it's probably the coolest pizza box, ever. And what's inside ain't chopped liver either.
The Pizza Shop is owned by Jesse Malin (Coney Island High, Niagara, The Bowery Electric), Johnny T (Niagara, Black & White, Motherf*cker, The Bowery Electric) and Chef Kevin Cole (Two Boots, Three of Cups). All three are musicians who met several years ago playing in different bands in the East Village. Malin once fronted '90s glam punks D-Generation who played many a show at Continental which was once neighbor to the sadly departed St. Marks Pizza, which until its closing several years ago boasted the city's best late night rock'n roll slice scene. Though St. Marks Pizza is now a kosher falafel joint, Pizza Shop appears ready to take its place as gathering point for after-midnight mozarella mavens.
"We give ya a place to sober up before you go home," said Malin at The Pizza Shop's opening reception.
Local gastronomic historians of course know 110 Avenue A has been a pizza shop since the 1960's. Malin and co. wanted to keep the old school vibe, but not the old school grime. The space has been completely gutted but the feel of a vintage pizza parlor remains. The decor is classic, spotless and surprisingly sparse with black and white tile, hard wood floors, black formica counter tops and unique art (including a Ginsberg print of Jack Kerouac standing on the corner of 7th street and Avenue A). A house playlist of reggae, soul and rock & roll supplies the soundtrack and patrons can take a seat in several large back booths and watch a classic Kung-Fu or surf movie projected on the shop's back wall.
Adding further artistic fuel to Pizza Shop's ovens, the pizza boxes are all limited edition prints and reminscent of the flyer's from Malin's Coney Island High days. The plan is to have 1500 of each box style made and then never reproduced. Each will have a different image created by well known and local artists featuring their particular style and medium and
the boxes are free with a purchase of any pizza. THough, you might want to eat the pizza on-premises so as not to get cheese on your object de punk rock art. When asked about the next box, Mr. Gruen said it would be done by longtime Ramones' artistic director Arturo Vega. Fitting since "The Bruddas" are nearly as synonymous with pizza as they are with leather jackets and a now defunct dive bar on the Bowery called CBGB.
Killer food, cool music and collectible art, what could be next for the Big Apple's hungry hipsters - bosa nova burritos?
One can only hope and mambo.
"We give ya a place to sober up before you go home," said Malin at The Pizza Shop's opening reception.
Local gastronomic historians of course know 110 Avenue A has been a pizza shop since the 1960's. Malin and co. wanted to keep the old school vibe, but not the old school grime. The space has been completely gutted but the feel of a vintage pizza parlor remains. The decor is classic, spotless and surprisingly sparse with black and white tile, hard wood floors, black formica counter tops and unique art (including a Ginsberg print of Jack Kerouac standing on the corner of 7th street and Avenue A). A house playlist of reggae, soul and rock & roll supplies the soundtrack and patrons can take a seat in several large back booths and watch a classic Kung-Fu or surf movie projected on the shop's back wall.
Adding further artistic fuel to Pizza Shop's ovens, the pizza boxes are all limited edition prints and reminscent of the flyer's from Malin's Coney Island High days. The plan is to have 1500 of each box style made and then never reproduced. Each will have a different image created by well known and local artists featuring their particular style and medium and
the boxes are free with a purchase of any pizza. THough, you might want to eat the pizza on-premises so as not to get cheese on your object de punk rock art. When asked about the next box, Mr. Gruen said it would be done by longtime Ramones' artistic director Arturo Vega. Fitting since "The Bruddas" are nearly as synonymous with pizza as they are with leather jackets and a now defunct dive bar on the Bowery called CBGB.
Killer food, cool music and collectible art, what could be next for the Big Apple's hungry hipsters - bosa nova burritos?
One can only hope and mambo.
