CLOSINGS
It was decided that the ever-so-trendy Chelsea Night lounge Mr. West will be locking up its doors for good next month. When lounge owners Danny Divine and DJ Jus traded in their 22nd Street nightspot earlier this week, they decided it would be for the undeniable bite of Japanese food and late night drink. Patrons will be sad to see this piece of nightlife go, but have no fear - there are rumors of Divine opening up another late night establishment in Miami in the near future! East coasters say your goodbyes to Mr. West and have a taste of what everyone will be missing!
The Big Easy, a staple in New York nightlife, will be closing its doors indefinitely, as halt on the non stop party locale has recently been put in order by the Department of Buildings and Office of Emergency Management.
In a statement released exclusively to Joonbug earlier today, Terry Brooks, owner of The Big Easy, said, "The Staff and I are devastated at the city's forced closure of The Big Easy because of the 2nd Avenue subway construction. For many of our customers it's become a second home and a non pretentious place to come have some good old fashion fun for the past 8 years. We hope all our loyal customers will visit our staff as they will be moving to our sister bars, Bar None and Bourbon Street, where you can expect the same shenanigans people have come to expect at The Big Easy. We will keep our loyal fans updated on a reopening timeframe once we have one from the city."
After repeat blows from the recession bat, Union Square’s Virgin Megastore will close at the end of May, reducing the total number of franchises in the country to 5. Following suit, its San Francisco counterpart will bite the big one in April. This follows business reports that the Times Square location will also be shut down in the same month. Ouch.
In August 2007, the Virgin Entertainment Group North America was acquired by two real estate companies - the Related Cos. and Vornado. Since then, the chain has been reduced from 11 units - with the industry awaiting word of the fate of the three remaining stores in Denver, Los Angeles, and Orlando, Fla.
It’s a good thing I haven’t bought anything from a record store since 98, otherwise I’d be a bit on the upset side, much like the chain’s stock holders.
Hmmm. Maybe a Canadian-themed culinary establishment wasn’t such a good idea after all. After being in existence for a little under two years, The Inn LW12 has been shuttered for good.
With its wood-paneled walls and outdoorsy décor, The Inn exuded a folksy charm that often made it a popular choice for the Meatpacking gastropub faithful. Its’ eclectic menu offered a variety of hearty choices like a grilled lamb burger or Guinness-braised beef. This being a restaurant obituary, however, I won’t spend too much time making you want to go there because, well, you can’t.
Flatiron club, the Cutting Room, which is best known for its crazy Saturday Night Live cast parties and live music will be closing its doors on January 13th with a performance from Joan Rivers. The club is owned by Chris Noth (Sex and the City) and Steve Walters who blame the closing on a bad lease, saying that rent has tripled since opening up ten years ago. However, they are looking for new locations, mostly in Tribeca and hope to open a new club by the summer.
The Cutting Room opened back in late 1999 as a music venue with a more intimate vibe. Norah Jones, Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock are among the many famed musicians who have performed here.
Unkindest Cut [Page Six]
Socialista, the retro-Cuban lounge in the West Village, has been shut down by the NYC Department of Health. The Department of Health website blames the closing on the clubs failure to display ‘No Smoking’ signs properly. However, Socialista was located in the Jane Street Hotel where residents had been complaining of rat infestation and this may have been the true cause of the mandate.
Socialista was a upscale haunt that boasted Sting, Harvey Weinstein, and Giuseppe Cipriani among its investors. It was located at 505 West Street in the West Village.
After surviving FBI raids and a crusade against smut by former NYC Mayor Giuliani, the infamous strip club, Scores, will be closing its doors. The closing is blamed on a slow economy but it has also been rumored the that the venue is closing because it’s losing its liquor license.
Radio show host Howard Stern was a big fan of this place and it was frequented by many other celebrities including Lindsay Lohan and Kate Moss. Co-owner Elliot Osher has confirmed the closing and says that a new club will be opening up in its place at the foot of the Queensboro Bridge.
 |
 |
 |
 |
