A look at the new-look Sidewalk, now with 'boozy $10 milkshakes'

[Photo yesterday by Bobby Williams]

As we first reported, Sidewalk closed its doors on Avenue A and Sixth Street for renovations on March 1. The bar and music venue is open now; and the whole place will be ready Monday.

Gothamist got a look inside the renovated space, and notes that the new management is focusing on more quality food and drinks, including "boozy $10 milkshakes."

Per Jamie Feldmar at Gothamist:

The newly renovated space is making food a top priority, with all day-and-night breakfast platters like crème brûlée French toast with bacon, plus dinners like Israeli-style chicken schnitzel and the aforementioned line of spiked milkshakes, with options like the Monkey Business (bourbon, banana, peanut butter, chocolate, ice cream) and Grasshopper (whipped cream vodka, crème de minthe, coffee liquor, ice cream).

Previously.

[Updated] Sidewalk's bar and music venue is opening tonight; full service on Monday

Several tipsters have said the under-renovation Sidewalk on Avenue A at Sixth Street is having a soft-launch reopening tonight... We've heard nothing official. The Sidewalk's new publicist hasn't responded to a query on the topic.

Per Sidewalk's publicist: "The bar & music venue is reopening this evening and will serve food from a very limited appetizer menu. Full service should be starting Monday."

Meanwhile! EV Grieve reader Nat Esten noted the work inside the new bar area last night...

Bob Arihood has a look inside too. Look here.

And this morning...

Previously.

Sidewalk now re-opening next week

When we last checked in on the Sidewalk's reopening, an insider told us they were aiming to be open by Aug. 5. As in tomorrow.

However!

A publicist working for the Sidewalk said: "We are currently looking at opening the second week of August as opposed to August 5." There is a soft opening Monday for family and friends.

Meanwhile, yesterday, Bobby Williams took these photos of workers removing the graffiti from the restaurant's rolldown gates on Avenue A and Sixth Street.

... and a quick look inside the dining room...

Previously.

Exclusive: First look inside Sidewalk's new kitchen

Oh, OK. It's not really an exclusive. Anyone who walked by here on Sixth Street the last few nights probably got a look at Sidewalk's renovated kitchen. Anyway, as we reported a few weeks ago, Sidewalk hopes to reopen by Aug. 5.

A good sign outside Sidewalk yesterday

EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams notes the progress at Sidewalk on Avenue A and Sixth Street ... signs of a reopening...

As we first reported two weeks ago, Sidewalk management is aiming to reopen by Aug. 5. The place closed on March 1 for renovations.

Previously.

Sidewalk Cafe is hiring

On Friday, we brought you the news that Sidewalk Cafe was looking to reopen by Aug. 5. During the weekend, the following signs appeared on the Sidewalk's doors...

Sidewalk aims to reopen by Aug. 5

Sidewalk closed back on March 1. And the restaurant-bar-performance space at Avenue A and Sixth Street has been ongoing extensive renovations these past four months. It seems as if the place will never reopen.

However, there is good news from 
a Sidewalk insider. Via email, he told us, "It looks like things are finally getting close to completion." He said one of the previously silent partners is taking over as the active manager.

Some other tidbits:

• "From what I know, the menu should be the same, but stripped down to about a third of the size, mainly the items that were selling. Prices should be about the same."

• "The music program will be basically picking up where it left off ... with the Antifolk Festival pushed back to the fall."

• "As far as the back room goes, we've thrown a bit of money into upgrading the sound system and backline. There was an event booked for Friday, Aug. 5 a while back that everyone was excited about and we've set that date as the goal for trying to get everything done." [Ed. note — Boog City]

Meanwhile, Sidewalk's long-running open mic nights on Mondays have been taking place at a Gathering of Tribes on East Third Street ... another organization that could use your support.

When the Sidewalk reopens, you'll see clean spaces, new faces

On March 1, Sidewalk on Avenue A and Sixth Street closed for renovations.

The official word: They'd be closed for six weeks.

However, six weeks have come and gone and the place doesn't seem any closer to reopening. According to several sources, the Sidewalk's liquor license lapsed. So, while management was taking care of the paperwork, they figured they'd spruce up the space too. And that turned into major renovations.

According to a former employee: "The plan as I know it is to start from scratch, new restaurant, new management, entirely new staff. None of the former staff is being hired back."

Sidewalk's long-running open mic nights on Mondays have been taking place at a Gathering of Tribes on East Third Street. As for the future of music at The Fort, the backroom of the Sidewalk ... according to a post on the Sidewalk Music blog dated March 16 from 
Ben Krieger, who has has been hosting the open mic show: "I met with management at the club last night ... they’re DEFINITELY renovating. From what I can gather the club will resemble a better/stronger/faster Sidewalk than a martini bar (sigh of relief), For now, pretty much everything that isn’t a wall has been cleared out! At the moment they’re redoing the floors and blasting the brick walls for repainting/varnishing."

You can find a few more details here at Sidewalk's Sidewalk, another site about the cafe.

For more history on the Sidewalk and the Antifolk movement:
How Does It Feel, Antifolkies, to Have a Home, Not Be Unknown? (The Times)

Folk the Pain Away (The Voice)

An interview with Lach about the Fort and Antifolk (YouTube)

First Person | At the Sidewalk Café (The Local East Village)

[Updated] Sidewalk Cafe closed for renovations on Avenue A

Don't know more than this at the moment... The DOB gave them a C in September... with 43 violation points, but nothing that likely led to its closure... In the comments, an employee of another Sidewalk-owned eatery says Sidewalk will reopen in three weeks; that the renovations don't have anything to do with the DOH.

Day of Ray lineup set

We'll have more later this week on the Day of Ray, coming this Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. at Sidewalk on Avenue A and Sixth Street...check out the flyer designed by Jennifer Schindelar....



And here's the lineup...

NOON - Luigi Babe

12:15 - Reww

12:25 - Marilyn Kirby

12:40 - 5 minute video by Pam Kray

12:50 - Bowery Boys (Joff solo set)

1:05 - (comedian) Andrew Lisa

1:15 - Shaker Pegs

1:35 - Elastic No-No Band (Justin solo set)

1:50 - (comedian) Steve Bossous

2:00 - Mike Winkler

2:15 - A Brief View of the Hudson

2:30 - Jordan Levinson

2:50 - East River String Band

3:10 - Bill Murray Experience

3:30 - (comedian) Johnny Lanzilloto

3:40 - Nobody Can Dance

4:00 - Joe Yoga

4:15 - Master Lee

4:35 - The Fools

4:50 - Daniella, Our Lady of Perpetual PMS

5:00 - Jessica Delfino

5:15 - Toby Goodshank

And, you know, there's a Save Ray's Twitter feed, which will have the latest updates...

www.twitter.com/saverays

And there's the Save Ray's Facebook page...

And thanks to Lilly, Haley, Leah, the folks at Sidewalk and everyone else responsible for helping put this benefit together...