Strolling down Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg this bright Saturday morning I ran across Davad Cokonis, a surfer who splits his time between Cape Cod and Carroll Gardens. When in town he often sells merchandise he’s collected on the streets on weekends, displaying the wares–including several extremely well-priced vintage bikes–on or near his 1991 silver Volvo station wagon. A recent find for Cokonis is the sign from Joe’s Restaurant, the decades-old, diner-y breakfast and lunch spot that recently closed at 349 Court Street, near Union. Cokonis, who lives nearby and often parts his mobile market on Court Street, told he was walking by as the new owners, who are building out a yogurt shop, were getting rid of the sign.
It’s a lovely piece of work–dig the comma and the swirls of the lower case “r” in particular–and we’re pretty sure there’s no more classic a name for an American neighborhood joint than Joe’s. We hope it goes to another restaurant, someplace we can stop by and say hello. If you want it for your wall, restaurant or otherwise, stop by Bedford today or tomorrow, or if you give me a shout at info@ediblebrooklyn.com, we can connect you with Cokonis, who says he’ll sell the sign for $500.
