New Cafe Opens in East Village

The grand opening of FAB Café, located on Fourth Street between Bowery and Second Avenue, was ushered in with coffee, treats and a mini creation myth.  The diverse crowd stood shoulder to shoulder in the small but cozy blue-walled room on the night of Wednesday, January 12th for some conversation, free Mud coffee and a showing of wall-mounted orange mesh figures by artist Harumi Ori.  Two employees performed the short story of the café with a notebook, cardboard curtains and various tiny props before issuing a heartfelt welcome.

FAB's manager Erica perform's the cafe's creation story

The café has set out to become a magnet for creative types and a hub for the group Fourth Arts Block (FAB).  FAB is a collective for the East 4th Street Cultural District that, according to their website, “encompasses 12 theaters, 8 dance/rehearsal studios, 3 film editing suites, and a large screening room.”  FAB instills a unified vibe for the district, making it more like a community of the arts than just another block with theaters.  Across the street from the cafe, more of Harumi Ori's orange mesh figures are displayed on the scaffolding that covers the future site of Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Company and Downtown Art.

The café also is the new location of the “East Village Visitor’s Center,” which can help with everything from obtaining tickets to the various shows on Fourth Street to making a local dinner reservation.