Manhattan, NY R.J. Brunelli & Co., LLC, has brokered leases for four storefront retail and restaurant sites on the eastside of the borough totaling 6,490 s/f.

In the largest of the deals brokered by sales associate David Singer, the retail real estate firm signed women’s fashion boutique Twenty5A to its first Manhattan location at 1630 Second Ave., between East 84th and 85th Sts. The Long Island-based apparel retailer, which currently operates locations in Williston Park and Woodbury, will occupy 3,400 s/f, including 1,900 s/f on the ground floor and 1,500 s/f of basement storage space.

Twenty5A is expected to open by early summer at the site, which is owned by Comprehensive Management of Manhattan, LLC. The space previously housed the Oasis Nail Salon. Singer represented the tenant as exclusive broker for Twenty5A for Manhattan, where the company is seeking additional locations.

Singer additionally brokered the lease that will bring Duozo, a new Omakase (chef’s choice) sushi concept from chef Koji Kagawa, to the Lower Eastside. Kagawa is the former chef of Sushi Samba in Manhattan, which subsequently migrated to current locations in Las Vegas, Miami, London and Amsterdam. His new restaurant is projected to open this summer in a 1,560 s/f corner location at 63 Delancey St. (with frontage on both Delancey and Allen Sts.), previously occupied by Berkli Parc. The lease includes 760 s/f of ground floor space and 800 s/f of basement storage. Singer represented the tenant on the lease, while Jeffrey Angel of RES Commercial Corp. represented landlord Dalan Management.

In the Grand Central area, Singer signed Gia, a new Thai chicken quick-serve concept from chef Chat Suansilphong, for a space a 158 East 45th St. that formerly housed the FishStop restaurant. Gia, which is expected to debut in early summer, will occupy 800 s/f, evenly divided between the ground floor and basement. Locally, Suansilphong is best known for partnering on the popular Fish Cheeks Thai restaurant on Bond St. in lower Manhattan. Singer represented Gia on the 45th St. lease with landlord Cornerstone Management Systems, Inc.

Finally, Singer brokered the lease for Retro Coffee to occupy 730 s/f (380 s/f on the ground floor and 350 s/f of basement storage) at 134 East 17th St. between Third Ave. and Irving Pl. The café and bakery is expected to open in early summer in the space formerly occupied by Tone Café. Retro Coffee is a new concept developed by the owners of the Krav Maga Experts fitness studios. Singer represented both the tenant and landlord 132-134 East 17th Street LLC on the deal. Krav Maga currently has three locations in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn.

Singer joined R.J. Brunelli in 2018, bringing over 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, orchestrating dozens of food and beverage and apparel retail transactions in Manhattan, New Jersey and other markets. As a consultant to a number of leading hospitality groups, he played a role in the openings of nine of Tao Group’s venues in Manhattan and Chicago; eight Starr Restaurant Org. locations in Manhattan, Florida and Pennsylvania; the Standard Hotel in Manhattan’s Meatpacking district, The Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, the W Hotel  in Fort Lauderdale, 230 Fifth in Manhattan, as well as projects for independent operators in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Las Vegas.