RIP Kitty at the former Grassroots Tavern

[Photo by Steven]

Kitty, a regular of the former Grassroots Tavern at 20 St. Mark’s Place, recently died. Someone created a memorial in his honor outside the space ... which still sits empty after the Grassroots closed after service on New Year’s Eve 2017...


[NYE 2017 photo by Peter Brownscombe]

As noted many times before, No. 20, known as the Daniel LeRoy House, was built in 1832 here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (It received landmark status in 1971, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.)

Past lives of this subterranean space — via Daytonian in Manhattan — include a theater-saloon called Paul Falk's Tivoli Garden in the 1870s... in the 1930s, the Hungarian Cafe and Restaurant resided here before becoming a temperance saloon called the Growler.

Who's next? We don't know. For nearly 18 months Bob Precious had tried to open a bar-pub here, but those plans never materialized.

Applicants for Ichibantei have been on the CB3-SLA agenda dating to November 2018 for a liquor license for a new restaurant in the former Sounds storefront upstairs. There was speculation that they were also taking the GR space. Ichibantei was once again on the January CB3-SLA agenda, but scratched.

In any event, this is a retail space to watch in the New Year.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• New owner lined up for the Grassroots Tavern on St. Mark's Place

• 20 St. Mark's Place, home of the Grassroots Tavern, has been sold

• Last call at the Grassroots Tavern

• Behold these murals uncovered behind the bar at the former Grassroots Tavern on St. Mark's Place