Larger, resilient Battery playground has groundbreaking
BY GABE HERMAN
A new bookstore has come to
Greenwich Village, located in the
lobby of the Players Theatre at 115
MacDougal St.
The independent bookshop, Bravo’s
Book Nook, focuses on offering books
on theater, music, children’s books and
Greenwich Village history, according to a
shop announcement. The store is owned
by Michael Sgouros of the historic Players
Theatre, which dates back to the 1950s,
and Brenda Bell of Literally Alive Theatre,
a children’s theater company that has residency
in the Players Theatre.
Sgouros and Bell have hired Jory Southurst,
previously general manager at Book
Culture on the Upper West Side, which
closed in January, to manage the store.
“We are thrilled to have Jory heading up
the Bravo’s Book Nook team,” said Sgouros
in a statement.
Bell added, “Jory not only brings a
wealth of knowledge and experience to
the store but his passion for books will be
invaluable in creating a great community
resource in Greenwich Village.”
Book Culture Event Coordinator Cody
Stuart Madsen also sang the praises
of Southurst: “Jory is a thoughtful and
Officials and community members at the Battery Playscape groundbreaking.
dedicated bookseller and is going to do an
amazing job making Bravo’s a celebrated
addition to the Village.”
Bravo’s Book Nook will also host
author events that will make use of the
off-Broadway theater spaces. The fi rst
event is scheduled for March 10, 7 p.m.,
when authors Pamela Paul and Maria
Russo, both editors at the New York
Times Book Review, discuss their book
PHOTO BY NYC PARKS / DANIEL AVILA
on parenting “How to Raise a Reader.”
The bookshop is open 12 p.m. to 7
p.m. Monday to Saturday, and 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. on Sunday. More information at
bravosbooknook.com.
Ridership drops, but no subway cuts planned: MTA
BY MARK HALLUM
As Governor Andrew Cuomo has
synced measures to stop of the
spread of COVID-19 with New
Jersey and Connecticut, one change that
has not been broached for commuters are
service cuts to MTA trains and buses.
Despite an aggressive cleaning effort
similar to that instated by Governor Phil
Murphy, restrictions on business operations
and bans on gatherings above 50 have
not triggered a decision from the MTA to
cutback on services.
Metrics last week showed an 18% decline
in ridership on buses over the year
prior.
“At New York City Transit, our number
one priority is to move New York safely
and effi ciently. Even in a crisis, that priority
doesn’t change,” interim New York City
Transit President Sarah Feinberg said in a
letter Monday. “We continue to run trains
and the buses so that these folks can get
where they need to be. We are constantly
evaluating our service levels to ensure we
have enough capacity for those who need it.”
A deep-dive on turnstile data by THE
CITY found a 33% drop in people entering
major stations on March 13 over the
previous Friday.
For example, at Grand Central-42nd
Street ridership took a 48% plunge.
When asked by amNewYork Metro if
any service cuts were planned, spokesman
confi rmed that the agency did not have
anything planned as of late Monday.
According to Feinberg, the city’s transit
system would remain available to medical
professionals, fi refi ghters, law enforcement,
child care and food service employees.
As the coronavirus situation in New
York has escalated over the last two weeks,
MTA Chair Pat Foye has encouraged New
Yorkers to avoid crowded train cars and
buses as measure to prevent spread and
since then, restrictions have only gotten
PHOTO BY MARK HALLUM
stricter.
Cuomo placed a ban on gatherings of
over 50 while President Donald Trump ordered
the public to avoid groups of over 10.
In a press conference early Monday,
Cuomo said the sooner life for New Yorkers
came to a physical halt, the sooner the
epidemic would resolve.
18 March 19, 2020 Schneps Media
/bravosbooknook.com
