A new mashup of apéro café and bespoke T-shirt studio is eyeing 2 Bleecker St in NoHo, and it is already on the radar of neighborhood watchdogs. Plans call for Grey Heron Café to pour specialty coffee and serve pastries by day, then switch to an apéro program at night with cocktails, wine and small plates. Sharing the address would be Atany, a made-to-measure T-shirt brand that wants to install a tailoring counter and a customer lounge. The concept has surfaced in city filings and promptly attracted scrutiny from the local community board.
What the applications show
Filings outline a European-style apéro setup that pairs sandwiches, pastries and plated desserts with a tight beverage list focused on low-ABV cocktails, wine and lighter beers. On the food side, the proposal lists a jambon-beurre and a chicken-avocado sandwich, pastries including kouign-amann and yuzu madeleines, and desserts such as pot de crème. The drink menu would feature a Grey Espresso Martini and a Bleecker St Spritz.
The documents also describe a 20-seat lounge with mid-century design touches and lots of greenery, where guests could wait for tailoring or hang out with a drink. These details appear in documentation reviewed by What Now New York.
Community board pushback
Community Board 2, Manhattan did not exactly roll out the welcome mat. At its Feb. 19 meeting, the board adopted a resolution urging the State Liquor Authority to deny any on-premises liquor license for Pa’Co LL & Grey Heron Holdings at 2 Bleecker unless and until the applicant appears before the board.
In a letter, the board stated it “strongly recommends that the NYSLA deny any type of proposed on-premises liquor license” and recorded a unanimous vote in favor of that stance. The resolution also notes the applicant requested a layover to March so the board could review a fuller presentation. As outlined by Community Board No. 2, Manhattan, the board asked the NYSLA to return the applicant to CB2 if the matter skips straight to the state level.
Atany's retail-plus-lounge model
ATANY describes itself as a made-to-measure T-shirt brand rooted in New York garment tradition and already lists a local store presence. The company’s approach, which centers on custom fitting and on-site tailoring, would be folded into the proposed café footprint so customers can wait for fittings in a furnished lounge. That retail-and-hospitality crossover is a core part of the pitch and is why the concept shows up in both licensing paperwork and community board materials. Per ATANY, the brand emphasizes personalized fits and quick, in-store tailoring.
Licensing and next steps
Community boards can weigh in on liquor applications, but they do not issue licenses. The New York State Liquor Authority has the final say and publishes application status through its LAMP and open-data systems. According to the NYSLA’s public guidance, pending applications and public notices are handled by the state, while community comments are logged as part of the review.
CB2’s meeting listings show the Grey Heron and Pa’Co application has been discussed and laid over at recent SLA licensing sessions while the board waits for a more complete presentation from the applicant. For the latest status, the NYSLA’s public-query portal at the New York State Liquor Authority and CB2’s meeting calendar remain the key places to watch.
There is no public opening date yet, and the project still depends on local review and whatever the state decides on licensing. Neighbors and board members are expected to get another crack at the proposal before the liquor authority rules, and the two-in-one café-and-retail idea will likely draw close attention in a neighborhood already packed with eateries and bars. We will keep an eye on filings and SLA notices and update as more details emerge.
