Sonia Stock asked what we have all asked over the years: “I don’t know his name but I know this guy sleeps on what was originally a flower box on Reade Street [in the window of the former Sazon restaurant, which was there from 2009 to 2018]. He almost always has a smile. How does he do it? Does anyone know his story?”

And because she is that way, she then answered her own question. She went and spoke to him herself. I could have done the same but it’s tough interviewing people who are clearly unstable in at least a couple regards — in this case, at the very least, with unstable housing. There’s no reason to assume that what he is saying is true.

Image capture November 2024 © Google 2026

But what she learned is a glimpse into a life spent on the neighborhood’s streets for what I think is at least six years and Sonia says is 15. He spent some years on Duane and West Broadway, including in front of what was most recently Willow & Zoey; the owner of that business had to ask him to leave.

His name, he told her, is Johannes Symoure. His family is from Hungary and he has a daughter who lives in Budapest. Sonia asked him if he sees her and he said yes. He speaks very softly and uses a walker to get around — and even then, very slowly. Sonia says she has seen him in Bluestone Lane, so perhaps he uses that bathroom?

He spoke to Sonia about a lawsuit, but the story was jumbled and hard for her to connect the dots.

“He definitely is an educated man and dresses well, if that makes sense,” she said. “He cleans the area in front of his shelter every day. I call him WWM — Weather Warrior Man. He is the most resilient homeless man I have ever seen, through sweltering heat of the summer to the frigid Arctic temperatures we have seen this winter.”

And now the snow. Johannes, Sonia said, will shovel.

An addendum: I wondered what was going on with the building in that none of the tenants have kicked Johannes out, and it looks like it is empty — and for sale. There’s a listing for $25 million; it last sold in 2009 for $10 million. From the listing: “With 18,740 sqft above grade, 9,040 sqft below and over 3000 sqft in air rights the building has the ability to be converted to the most spectacular downtown condos, private residence, social club or gallery house.”

It’s also in the Tribeca South Historic District, so I will write it up soonish.