EVG reader Cheap Trick took this photo outside the John Varvatos storefront at 315 Bowery this morning... per Cheap Trick: "The windows are boarded up. Is it closing?"
There's nothing on JV's social media accounts noting a closure... or any kind of special in-store concert event, as they've had in the past with their Bowery Live series... The Rock is Dead? signage suggests some kind of concert. (Iggy Pop-Josh Homme is the rumor.)
The storefront opened at the site of the former CBGB here in April 2008.
Updated 5:20 p.m.
Here's another look via EVG reader Margarita...
Updated 2/1
An EVG reader shared this invite for Wednesday evening...
20 comments:
I like that Varvatos store. I'm glad they could take it over, and not some developer building "luxury" apartments.
I'm sure actual rock is being played well somewhere out there, and not even necessarily by young people, but the Varvatos brand just has that stench of midlife crisis. Possibly second midlife crisis. Like those heart-attack-drug commercials featuring some dude jamming with his dad-band and insisting he's totally cool, man, with not being 22 anymore. Varvatos is that guy with more money and even worse fashion sense. You know, the guys who consider present-day Johnny Depp a style icon … and who probably never went to CBGB in the first place.
"per Cheap Trick: "The windows are boarded up. Is it closing?""
We can only hope.
Walked by the store last night late night / early morning hours.
The store was being cleared out but people were definitely setting up etc.
I dont know what this boarded up and sign is... It feels a bit gimicky to me. I know having been to the store before, some of the personnel have discussed trying to make sure that things feel authentic because of the delicate nature of taking it over and having a store there, which seems to be the epitome and an ironic statement of rock's demise.
Hoping for the best with this sign.
@ anon 10:22
Spot-ON my friend...spot on!
They're prepping for the fashion week show, which is being held there this year. Not closing.
Live, On The Bowery: Bowiemania
Disliked it when CBGB closed and this took over. But had to go with the times since NYC is all about change, you know, abd tried to patronize this place. Upon entering, security eyes me with suspicion, floor staff pretends to be folding clothes nearby where I am browsing for clothes and no one offers any help. Walked out and security follows me all the way to the front. Point is, at CBGB, there was no judgment and one creates their enjoyment. Here, one has to be the elite/"rock star"/beautiful and purchasing loads of dollars before you are treated with respect and recognition. Rock died when Varvatos took over CBGB. I'm sure this just another marketing ploy aimed at the elite/"rock star"/and beautiful.
Yes
Re: AnonymousJanuary 31, 2016 at 12:02 PM
There were a lot of judgements at CBGBS to get in and to get a drink at the bar if you didn't have their look. Hilly and company were grouchy and snobby.
I note a lot of idealizing the past and putting down the present, but at least JV has a CBGB shrine, ironic though it is.
John is a great guy, who LOVES music and who gives back to the music community with time and money to a greater extent than most people blabbing away here, I would guess.
Iggy!!!!!!!
JV maybe a great guy and "preserved", i.e autherentrify, CBGB, but the staff and security there are the a bunch of holier-than-thou snoots, much like its target customers. Yeah, shocking even for an urbanite who blabs.
JV is not CBGB. JV is and was not rock & roll, it should stop trying to associate itself with authentic just by buying or paying exhorbitant rent for CBGB's former space.
Hey John Varvartos,
'Wanna do the East Village and the music world a BIG favor?
Close your store, renovate the space into a live music venue, and call it "CBs" or buy the name CBGB from whatever holding company owns it and call it CBGB i.e. reopen CBGB. You could always reopen "John Varvatos" elsewhere as close to CBs (or CBGB) as possible.
Everyone wins. You bring back (more) live music to the Bowery and still have your store.
Not shocking that 12:44 PM and 4:22 PM 's respective bands were rejected by CBGB. I guess now the only way they can feel like a rock star is by buying overpriced and overrated rock star clothings so that they can attend this phony event.
Sad, smarmy response from "urbanshocker". Get outta here. John Varvatos has effectively does jackshit for "the music community" no matter how much "time and money" he has put in. FYI he is a clothes designer. The music community is not some charity case. It doesn't actually benefit from people like Varvatos. This music community "urbanshocker" so pityingly refers to, is actually built on the backs of gifted, passionate musicians. I.e. people who play instruments, sing, produce or compose MUSIC. If anything it's people like Varvatos who benefit from the music community.
Varvatos the man may very well "give back to the music community" -- I'm sure he has Sting and Bono on speed dial blah blah -- but I was talking about Varvatos the brand, which, sorry to say, is dork wear.
Varvatos pays cool rock dudes to pose for his ads, but the actual men buying the clothes are like, the studio head who pretends that he is Iggy Pop when he's sitting in LA traffic, or the money manager who fancies himself the Lenny Kravitz of hedge funds. Dorks.
CBGBs closed because Hilly Kristal didn't pay his rent for ten years. That's not JV's fault, nor does he owe the music community or any other community a damn thing solely because he rented the old space that used to be rented to CBGBs.
JV is having a concert for their marketing. Don't like it? Don't go.
So, IS rock dead? Dying of suspense in my 42-inch waist Varvatos leather pants over here.
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