Saturday, April 14, 2012

Report: The Lakeside Lounge closes at the end of the month


That's the word via a report at New York Music Daily, who note that the Lakeside, which opened in 1997 on Avenue B near 10th Street, "will be replaced by a gentrifier whiskey joint, no doubt with $19 artisanal cocktails and hedge fund nebbishes trying to pick up on sorostitutes when their boyfriends are puking in the bathroom – or out of it."

Read the rest of the post here about the bands who played at the Lakeside.

This and Banjo Jim's now within the past eight months. Ouch.

Here's the rest of the Lakeside's calendar for the month. Go say goodbye.

Ink Lake shares some Lakeside memories here.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!


This was one of the very few joints that served as an oasis of non-douchiness on a Sat night in the EV.

Marty Wombacher said...

Horrible news!

Anonymous said...

Well it's sad, but what's even sadder, is if it's true that they sold to a gentrifier. I wonder if they tried to find somebody good to sell their assets to or if they just figure that it's over and the hell with the whole damned neighborhood.

The Life cafe story is a little different. It was about the landlords. You mean to tell me that Bob Perl of Tower Brokerage really couldn't do anything for Life Cafe? No, this was a golden opportunity to finally get rid of them and now we will have more of 9th Street Espresso, which is a place for Yuppies and tourists.

Nice Guy Eddies is on the CB3 agenda to be sold. While the questionnaire for the applicant that would like to take it over is unclear in terms of the principals, it is clear that the partners involved include the owner(s) of Tower Brokerage, The Gallery Bar and Ella.

Anonymous said...

That goes a ways to explain why they were part of the - was it ugly sweater or bunnyhop - pub crawls recently. It was already douchy. And stank of chlorine, like a pool more than a lake.

Anonymous said...

I loved Lakeside but haven't been a regular there in over 5 years, so I can't lament the injustice when I did nothing to keep it alive. It'll be sad to see it go nonetheless. But cities change and businesses change in relation to the demand. I actually heard it was some old New York natives and long-term East Village residents who were starting up the new place.

Anonymous said...

How much was the key money for that space?

Shawn said...

Loved Lakeside was there last night. Awwww man.

East Village Eats said...

*Puts gun in mouth*, *pulls trigger*. Really? Now with Mars Bar, Nevada Smith's, Holiday, Joe's, Duke's, Life Cafe gone & Nice Guy Eddie's turning into a restaurant WTF!!! Let's turn 7B into a 7-11, or a Chase Bank!

Anonymous said...

I have at least 10 photos on my fridge that I took using the photobooth at Lakeside. Sad to see it go.

Ayun Halliday said...

Oh NO! The site of many of the East Village Inky's early cover shoots. Many happy memories. What a shame, what a shame. Ditto on Banjo Jim's.

Uncle Waltie said...

Sayonara, Lakeside. You've been a good neighbor. There are now fewer and fewer venues for musicians to present themselves to the public. Are you gonna be replaced by a 'Latte' place?

Trixie said...

I own the photobooth at Lakeside Lounge and am as surprised and saddened as any of you by the news of its closing. I'm going to try and find a place for it right here in the East Village though so that everyone can continue to enjoy it. I've lived on e 12th Street since 1978 and I'd really like to keep the booth in the neighborhood. In the meantime though, come on down, the bar is open until the end of the month and the photobooth is ready and waiting to take your picture!

Anonymous said...

@anon4:12

Just because somebody is from the hood doesn't mean that they aren't going to try and cash in, quite the contrary. So many long time East villagers and Lower Eastsiders are already capitalizing off the gentrification.
I think that people are a submissive bunch of pussies when it comes to music and music venues and will pardon them in the guise of the power of music. People tend to coopt music, music venues and anything related to music despite the fact that they might be assholes. the same is true of the film industry.

Anonymous said...

I literally have a token for the photobooth in my pocket right now!

Trixie said...

I always wonder where they go!

Anonymous said...

nobody's "cashing in" on this sale. The proceeds are going to pay back bills.

glamma said...

absolutely horrible news. a devastating loss for the culture of the east village.
CB3, please pass regulation to protect small businesses immediately!!!
Somebody, stop the bleed!
this is insanity

Wilfrid said...

I'm sure some of us love the place, but were enough people going there and spending money? Last time I was there, half a dozen people nursing a few beers.

We can't will these places to be ever-popular and successful.

Anonymous said...

Just returned from New Orleans, where, despite Katrina, many of the old, non-chain, family-run businesses that I've known and loved for 25 years were still open. There were even BOOKSTORES, sometimes a few of them! It was SO NICE to be in a city that doesn't eat its own every 3 months.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but why sell to gentrifiers. Did Banjo Jims really have to sell to such douchebag gentrifiers too. Is this the only optio? I wonder who the new crew will be?

I am sure that what replaces Nice Guy Eddies will be a much more gentrified kind of place, especially if Tower Brokerage is involved. Everyone is against us. Did ACME really have to screw us too?