Thursday, March 22, 2012

Books to Bar

After planning to do so for years, Strip House has finally expanded into the former space of once-beloved 12th Street Books.


today

In 2008, decade-old 12th Street Books shuttered when their lease ended and the landlord hiked the rent.

Upscale chain restaurant Strip House (which replaced 75-year-old Asti) was slated to take over the spot before the bookstore had even closed, but they did not move in right away. The downstairs space stayed empty for four years, growing more blighted by the day--and we sorely missed our bookstore.


2011

During those four years, 12th Street Books relocated to Brooklyn and became The Atlantic Book Shop. Sadly, it did not last. In May 2011, that bookstore also shuttered. It has not, to my knowledge, reopened again.

The Strip House Grill, once a haven of books, is now serving filet mignon sandwiches and "lobster frites."

Is it better than a bikini wax?
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7 comments:

  1. BawlsdeepMarch 22, 2012 at 8:45 AM

    [Puts Kindle down]. Very sad. Very sad indeed. [Picks Kindle back up]

    ReplyDelete
  2. KwanaMarch 22, 2012 at 8:50 AM

    Ugh. An angel weeps when bookstore closes its doors.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Marty WombacherMarch 22, 2012 at 11:56 AM

    I agree with Kwana. Bookstores and books have a flavor and feeling that a Kindle can't hope to capture.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMarch 22, 2012 at 12:42 PM

    Considering its open to 1am/2am and it's not a nail salon or bank, I'm pretty happy *something* food-worthy opened in that space. For post-midnite diners like myself, there's not much in the immediate area other than l'Express/French Roast/Coffeshop.

    ReplyDelete
  5. starzstylistaMarch 22, 2012 at 8:06 PM

    When I moved to the East Village there were 3 bookstores on Saint Marks Place b/t 2nd & 3rd, three on 3rd between 7 & 9th Streets, one (a giant one) where Kinko's was on Cooper Square, Pageant of course on 9th and a dozen on 4th Avenue.

    ReplyDelete
  6. TanyaMarch 24, 2012 at 6:17 AM

    Hello, I am sure that you have heard of our latest NYC tragedy. Bill's Gay Nighties is closing this Saturday.

    I too cherish all these wonderful places that make up NYC's history and soul.

    I have a bar blog called iheartnycbars.com where i cover the history of each bar.

    http://iheartnycbars.com

    I hope there are more of us each day that love and patronize these wonderful places.before they are stolen from us. Who knows, maybe we can even preserve them together.

    ReplyDelete
  7. D. A.March 29, 2012 at 10:32 PM

    Sadly, I only knew it as The Atlantic Bookshop. It was my favorite bookshop in all of Brooklyn and yet it too left us.

    ReplyDelete

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