Apartment 13 at 115 Avenue C between East Seventh Street and East Eighth Street temporarily closed during the July 4 weekend. Signs on the door pointed diners and reservation holders to its sister restaurant Dinner on Ludlow.
However, a message on Apartment 13's Facebook page now notes that they will not be reopening:
It is with tremendous regret that I tell you all that Apartment 13 has closed its doors indefinitely. We would like to first and foremost express our eternal gratitude to all of you who took a leap of faith and decided to support and join us on what we fondly consider one of the most invaluable experiences of our adult lives.
Thank you all so very much for your unconditional support and unwavering patronage. It is truly humbling the way in which you greeted us with open arms and welcomed us whole-heartedly into what we consider one of the last remaining authentic “communities” in NYC.
Without burdening you all too much with the uglier side of business I'll explain it like this. Similar to a marriage, or divorce rather, our child (Apt 13), became collateral damage and fell through the cracks of a faulty foundation due to no fault of its own. Partnerships, be it business or personal, demands all parties involved to play for the same team at all times. When this fundamental law of business is tampered with, or worse disregarded, the potential for loss exponentially increases until destruction is an inevitability.
There is a P.S.
We look forward to seeing you all in the near future at the opening of our next venture and invite you all to continue the journey with us as we embark upon Chapter 2.
The restaurant, the first for chef John Keller (the executive chef at Dinner on Ludlow), opened last July 25. Apartment 13 featured food that they described as "Modern American interpretations with Japanese and Caribbean influences."
This is a real shame.
ReplyDeleteJohn Keller is, was, and hopefully again will be, a model business owner and neighbor on Avenue C.
He engaged residents, supported local institutions (and donated several beautiful benches to La Plaza Cultural), and was an all around good person.
And..he is a great chef. Apt 13 had great food. Looking forward to his next venture!
Keller was always a good guy. He screwed himself by going into biz with Paul Seres and Alexandra Drozd (who is a front for Robert Nowak where word on the street he has a criminal record so can't get a liquor license and an all around bad guy). Paul Seres is a bottom feeder, middle man using his disappearing clout as Co-Chair of CB4 and connections as former prez of NY Nightlife Association, his connections to the NYPD in the 7th and 9th, his friendship with Susan Stetzer at CB3 and Bob Zuckerman of LES BID to get a cut of biz profits by getting biz liquor licenses and keeping the the NYPD and SLA away from the biz.
ReplyDeleteHe is a real scumbag and so are his partners that he i in biz with not only at Apt 13 but DL, Delancey, Rivington F&B St Jermones. Keller if he were smart would get the hell away from him. The DL sux! Food is bad and Keller should think if it is worth having his name as executive chef.
Trust me this is the best thing to happen for people living on Ave C. This would have been a nightclub like all their other "restaurants" are in NYC and at once upon a time in Brooklyn!
Karma is a b**** Paul Seres. Lies are finally catching up with you!