Photo of Crosby Connection space by Billy Chasen

Photo of the meatball hero and a smoked gouda and ham sandwich (with apples) by Tien Mao

On Crosby Street between Bleecker and Houston, there's a literally hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop called The Crosby Connection. Joey Cramarossa, an ex-cop from New Jersey, works out a tiny space to serve up unbelievably fresh, delicious, filling and reasonably priced sandwiches and salads at $5-6 each.

The meatball hero (with ricotta cheese) is hot and just what you want on a cold winter day, while the avocado, brie and fresh dill sandwich is decadently rich when served on soft foccacia (the breads are from Parisi!). On a fine day, the line can be over 8 people long waiting for an Italian Stallion - cappicola, provolone, salami, fresh tomatoes, sweet roasted peppers, romaine lettuce, basil, virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar.

Lately Cramarosa has been gearing up to move his operations because his lease is up. Billy Chasen, a fan of the Suzy Special, gives some back story about why it's so special:

Joey has done hundreds of mitzvahs throughout his reign as sandwich king. He lets people pay later and says you’re “never short” when buying a sandwich. He’s also consistently fed the homeless and 5 years ago, while walking to work saw a kid lying in a refrigerator box with a dog. Joey took the kid (Johnny) under his wing, gave him a job, and he’s worked at Crosby ever since.

So, here's how Billy suggests people get involved:

• Spread the word! The more people who know, the closer we could get to informing Mr. Heller.
  
• E-mail Robert Ross at RobMRoss@aol.com
  
• Mail the realty company (or tell them in person)
  BMH Realty Ltd d/b/a Heller Realty
  745 Fifth Ave Suite 1250
  New York, NY 10151
  
• Sign this online petition

If the Crosby Connection doesn't get a lease renewal, Cramarosa said that he's working on a space nearby on Elizabeth Street. We think the Crosby Connection should remain on Crosby.