Coming Soon: 99 Cents & Discount at 149 Essex

In somewhat of an ironic twist, a new “five-and-dime” type shop will soon open directly across the street from the gimmicky pawn shop at Beauty & Essex. 149 Essex Street, which last housed the upscale interior decorators White Furniture, will sprout a neighborhood dollar store in due course. A few computer printouts in the windows confirm the imminent arrival of 99 Cents & Discount.

Before this new tenant signed on, the modern-inspired White Furniture operated a relatively long-running second Lower East Side outpost here; the other location is actually further up the thoroughfare at 43 Avenue A. The retailers threatened to vacate the premises last summer, but didn’t actually follow through until this past January. And shortly thereafter is when the brown widow shades arrived…

No word just yet on exact launch date for the dollar store, but the owner’s been busy stocking the shelves this past week.