They\u2019re stayin\u2019 alive.<\/p>\n
A popular sandwich shop is set to start slinging hoagies inside a Studio 54-themed bar in the Upper East Side after it was suddenly bounced <\/a>from its former home down the block.<\/p>\n Roman Grandinetti, the genius behind the beloved Italian eatery Regina\u2019s Grocery, is hoping his new joint venture with Ethyl\u2019s Bar and Grill will boost nightlife back to the sleepy Manhattan nabe and put all the local drama in the rearview.<\/p>\n Roman Grandinetti is looking to marry disco and sandwiches upon opening Regina\u2019s Grocery inside a funky bar. Matthew McDermott for NY Post<\/p>\n The shop, which has several locations stretching across the Big Apple, was evicted from its sublease this month after the legal tenant failed to pay nearly $300,000 in rent over two years, The Post has learned.<\/p>\n \u201cS\u2013t happens. This is a New York story. It is part of the game,\u201d Grandinetti said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it was a cool opportunity. We took advantage of it. We rolled the dice. \u2026 I think this opportunity wouldn\u2019t be here if it wasn\u2019t for the [situation] that we were in. This is what New York is. This is a New York story. This is a New York moment.\u201d<\/p>\n The drama came to light after an eviction notice was plastered outside 1698 2nd Ave. this month, ordering Regina\u2019s Grocery and tenant Olde Bagels, owned by Tommy Brunton, to vacate the premises.<\/p>\n The pair failed to pay rent and thousands in late charges from February 2024 through August 2025, racking up arrears totaling $329,786.11, according to court papers.<\/a><\/p>\n Ethyl\u2019s Bar and Grill calls back to the Studio 54 glory days of New York City. Matthew McDermott for NY Post<\/p>\n Regina\u2019s Grocery will serve hot sandwiches alongside espresso martinis and Negronis on tap, said Grandinetti. Matthew McDermott for NY Post<\/p>\n To make matters worse, Grandinetti had been paying $3,750 per month to carve out a section of the two-room commercial space that landlord Grace Jean claims Brunton illegally sublet \u2014 while he spent two years trying to construct the remaining area into a dream bagel shop.<\/p>\n \u201cHe would just give me all these excuses like, \u2018Oh, I\u2019ll pay on Thursday.\u2019 Then he\u2019ll call him Thursday, saying, \u2018I have a meeting in Philadelphia. I can\u2019t meet you.\u2019 And so he\u2019s stood me up a couple of times,\u201d Jean said.<\/p>\n But Brunton instead pointed to numerous violations the building racked up that prevented him from moving forward with construction \u2014 and claimed his lease said he didn\u2019t need to pay rent during times of inactivity. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen you see the building on the news and the facade falls down and my contractor is telling me I can\u2019t pull the permits, I think it\u2019s legit,\u201d he said, pointing to the two complaints and three open violations lodged against the building, records show.<\/a><\/p>\n Additionally, Jean loved the idea of moving Regina\u2019s Grocery into the space while they worked out the kinks, according to Brunton, who claims he passed along Grandinetti\u2019s rent in lump payments.<\/p>\n Neither Brunton nor Jean provided the contested lease to The Post despite numerous requests.<\/p>\n Grandinetti, however, is washing his hands of the mess, telling The Post he doesn\u2019t plan on getting involved in any court drama.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re really just trying to have some fun and turn a negative into a positive. This industry is hard. The world is in a funny place,\u201d said Grandinetti about his new venture.<\/p>\n Grandinetti opened up a Regina\u2019s Grocery outpost inside Ethyl\u2019s Bar and Grill Thursday and began slinging hot sandwiches like chicken parm and spicy vodka alongside espresso martinis and Negronis on tap \u2014 which he wasn\u2019t able to do at the prior location because of the infrastructure issues.<\/p>\n \u201d This is what New York is. This is a New York story. This is a New York moment,\u201d said Grandinetti. Matthew McDermott for NY Post<\/p>\n Regina\u2019s Grocery also has locations in Bed-Stuy, Nolita and the Lower East Side. Matthew McDermott for NY Post<\/p>\n