New Yorkers react to the potential closure of Papaya King

Earlier this month, reports about the potential closure of Papaya King, the iconic juice-and-hot-dog destination on the Upper East Side, started to surface.

According to the New York Times, Extell Development, the company that last year bought the lot where the restaurant sits on (179 East 86th Street),  “filed plans with the city on June 28 to demolish the one-story commercial building.”

Although the eatery’s owners have yet to go on the record about the current situation and a demolition date has not yet been announced, New Yorkers have already begun mourning the neighborhood’s loss. Gothamist reports that plenty of customers have been lining up outside the restaurant, hoping to have a last (or, for some, first) taste of what is now considered to be a staple of the city's culinary scene. 

Alas, Papaya King may go the way of the iconic Central Park Loeb Boathouse, which will permanently close this fall, or, perhaps, the uptown destination may eventually find a new lease on life, like downtown's Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Books, which has just announced it will move to a store next door after being priced out of its original address on Carmine street.

What's going to happen to Papaya King is yet to be seen, but that hasn't stopped New Yorkers from reacting to the news of its possible shuttering.

Below, is a compilation of some of the best commentary on the situation: