Paris Health Cafe on 49-11 Vernon Boulevard, to close on Oct. 28 (photo by Nathaly Pesantez)
Oct. 27, 2017 by Nathaly Pesantez
Paris Health Cafe, the juice shop located on Vernon Boulevard, will end its 29-year run on Oct. 28 due to the unaffordable costs to run it.
The juice shop, located at 49-11 Vernon Blvd., has signs out front and over its counter written by Sung “John” Park, the 58-year-old owner, thanking customers for their patronage. Park did not shy away from writing about the difficulties in paying for rent, too.
“As you witness in the neighborhood, so with ‘Paris’…it is no longer economically possible!” Park wrote.
A letter Sung “John” Park wrote to customers (photo by Nathaly Pesantez)
“I’ve been here for 29 years and two months” Park, a native of South Korea, said. “I’ve seen thousands of customers. It’s very sad.”
Park said that the landlord kept raising the rent on the 870 square-foot shop, and wanted to raise costs higher than what Park was paying—$4,250.
The businessman, who also runs Underpenny Antiques & Collectibles on 10-13 50th Ave., said he remembers paying $900 a month when he first opened the juice shop in 1988 after arriving from South Korea five years prior.
Park does not know what will take the shop’s place after tomorrow, but says he is trying to look for another space within the neighborhood to continue his business.
“I really love Long Island City—I’m not looking for any other place,” he said.
Paris Health Cafe will open until 6 p.m. on Saturday, after which there will be a goodbye party at the store.
“I was happy the whole time,” Park said. “I was happy with my customers. I enjoyed my life here.”
The juice shop is one of several locales on Vernon Boulevard that have shut its doors in recent years, including Alobar, Masso, Juniors, and San Remo.
Inside Paris Health Cafe (photo by Nathaly Pesantez)
