Buddies Coffee Is Relocating to the East Village Following Brooklyn Shutter | Eater NY
"The coffee shop, known for drinks like the coquito latte, went viral on TikTok earlier this year after posting about a "crippling" rent hike forcing them to vacate their Williamsburg location; fans showed up, including Joe Jonas, but in the end co-owners Rachel Nieves and Taylor Nawrocki chose to relocate. EV Grieve reports they’re getting close to reopening in the East Village at 226 E. Third Street, between Avenues B and C. On TikTok they shared that the original location was one of the last Puerto Rican businesses in the neighborhood — "This is gentrification," Nieves says in the video. The Williamsburg shop originally launched in December 2020 and closed in May, and the owners’ struggles have been framed as emblematic of independent restaurant operators facing rising costs and shrinking margins." - Melissa McCart
