IHOP will install ‘smog-hog’ to rid East Village of bacon smell (UPDATE)
UPDATE: Bye-bye, bacon.
East Village residents who complain about the bacon smell emanating from IHOP may soon breathe easier.
The owner of the 14th Street eatery, Ed Scannapieco, told The Times that he plans to invest $40,000 in a “smog-hog,” a piece of machinery that is used for cleaning air and extracting fumes.
“It knocks down virtually all of the odor and almost all the noise,” Scannapieco said. “It’s a commitment. And one that we’re glad to make.”
A crane might be needed to install the smog-hog, but Scannapieco said he hopes to have it up and running in the next six weeks.
Metro’s original story is below…
Long before Park Slope moms were moaning about ice cream in Prospect Park, East Village residents were complaining about a perpetual stench coming from the IHOP on East 14th St.
That stench? Bacon.
Yes, the sweet scent that typically spreads smiles as it wafts across a kitchen and is rumored to make men fall in love with just one whiff, has become a bane of existence for neighbors living behind IHOP.
The controversy over the diner actually began sizzling when it opened back in September. IHOP recruited a bouncer in anticipation of rowdy, drunk crowds during the overnight hours. While lingering rift raft is still a source of complaints for residents, the bacon stench coming from the restaurant has resurfaced as a topic of conversation on East Village blog EV Grieve. One neighborhood dweller said the odor became so offensive that moving was the only option.
“I literally had to move out and find someone to rent the apartment to. No one would buy it. Everybody said it smells like bacon,” said one reader whose comment was posted on the blog. “The new tenant says it doesn’t bother him so much, but I don’t think he is home too much — plus he’s been there for winter only, we’ll see what happens when he starts opening his windows.”
Neighbors claim the smell will permeate for days at a time.
“Right now, it’s a low-level stale smell,” said another reader. “My neighbors and I have repeatedly contacted CB6, the DEP, Rosie Mendez’s office, you name it — IHOP is still stinking up the neighborhood.”
Residents also said IHOP attracts “dangerous-looking customers” and loud noise during the early morning hours. Combine those complaints with the persistent pork pong and we can’t help but wonder: Is IHOP greasing itself up for an East Village revolt?
