Titan Foods, once considered the largest Greek supermarket in America, made news when it closed two years ago. Now, the specialty food store is finally reopening Friday, August 1, at its new Queens headquarters at 23-53 Steinway Street, at 23rd Road. The company announced the news on Instagram with the caption: “Stay calm people!!!”
Titan Foods first came to New York in the 1970s by Kostas and Stavroula Mastoras. This isn’t the first relocation of the family company; it first moved in 1996, to a 16,000 square-foot space, said to have at least 20 varieties of feta cheese alone.
The latest version of Titan Foods is “a fresh start,” the founder’s daughter, Anatoli (Anna) Mastoras, told Eater in 2023, with a “different setup and a different design.” The family also maintains Titan Bakery in Deer Park, New York, for wholesale orders. — Emma Orlow
Two Hell’s Kitchen spots are closing
Bar Nine (807 Ninth Avenue at 54th Street), Hell’s Kitchen’s dueling‑piano bar owned by the current operators for 11 years and around for more than 20, closed on Tuesday, July 29, following a final open‑mic night signaling the end of its run in the neighborhood. One of the last places to find a working pay phone, the dive bar was known for its interactive piano shows, when musicians would play songs at the audience’s request, reported the W42nd Street blog. The owner has been battling long COVID as well as the rising costs of doing business. Nearby, Noodie’s (830 Ninth Avenue, at 54th Street), a Thai mainstay for 11 years, also announced its closure at the end of this month, now that the lease is up.
Grammy winner Lucinda Williams is co-owner of a honky-tonk bar
The bar formerly called Heaven Can Wait has transformed into Lucinda’s Honky Tonk + Juke Joint (169 Avenue A between 10th and 11th streets). The space, once home to other music venues like Coney Island Baby, Lola, and Brownies, is now under the co-ownership of Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, alongside Laura McCarthy and Kelley Swindall. Lucinda’s describes itself as a soulful Southern honky tonk, with programming like live country music Fridays, live-band karaoke Saturdays, and a jukebox packed with country classics. The space is appropriately retro for those craving wood-paneling, old signs, and checkerboard-tile linoleum floors.
