Coming Soon: Hionas Gallery at 124 Forsyth Street

The long-derelict dual storefront of 124 Forsyth Street, onetime home of Almost Delancey bar, went into surgery a couple years ago. It emerged with a new glass sheen. And two new leases on life. Callicoon Fine Arts was the first tenant to occupy the ground-level space just south of Delancey. Store B wasn’t so lucky, itself remaining dormant for another year.

But all that will change in early 2013 with the arrival of – you guessed it – another Lower East Side gallery. As you might guess, it’s a refugee of sorts from another neighborhood. Not Chelsea, but Tribeca.

Hionas Gallery opened at 89 Franklin Street in June 2011, and is already hungry for more room. Owners Peter and Maria Hionas decided on 124 Forsyth as the 1,300 square-foot flagship, but will maintain the OG location for “more experimental programming from our growing artist roster and invited artists/guests.” When asked about why the Lower East Side was chosen, they intimated that the area offers more foot traffic and newer audiences “who may not venture below Canal Street too often.” The gallery doesn’t favor any particular art form over another, and tries for numerous solo exhibitions that run the proverbial gamut.

Hionas Gallery is scheduled for a January 2013 launch. Opening exhibition is still in the works.