Saying Goodbye to Two Downtown Icons, Gem Spa and John Jovino
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Gem Spa owner Parul Patel (left) and John Jovino manager Charlie Wu (right) while the cleared out their businesses, 5/17/20.
Two of New York’s iconic businesses cleared their shelves last weekend as East Village’s Gem Spa had its signage removed and Little Italy’s police supplier John Jovino emptied its gun racks for good. Neither business had been expecting to close before the COVID-19 crisis started.
Workers took down Gem Spa’s signage on a gorgeous Sunday, with few passersby to witness it. The beloved egg cream spot announced its closure earlier this month after a recent resurgence in attention. Owner Parul Patel, whose father Ray bought the store in 1986, told us things were looking up this year. “We were right on track with being featured in a tour guide and NBC was about…
