What East Village bar will be expanding nationally today?

Yesterday came word that Nevada Smith's and Superdive are considering expanding their bars nationwide. True or not (at least in the case of Superdive), nothing shows financial health more than rumors of going national!

Kind of related. A new Beauty Bar outpost is opening in Chicago early next year.

The Cooper Square Hotel's attempt to fit in with the neighborhood ready to be unveiled

As Curbed noted, the Cooper Square Hotel is throwing a bash tonight to unveil its new graffiti mural...

Here's what the mural looked like as of Saturday...



And we did a little research to learn more about the origins of the Homer Simpson tribute.

Also, for the record, I want to be clear that I really like the work of the four graffiti artists -- Joyce Pensato, Nick 1, Vizie and Shinique Smith -- who were hired to create this mural. And I'm happy that they have such a high-profile canvas to show their work. My problem is with the Cooper Square Hotel's lame attempt to suddenly try to fit into the neighborhood. As the Post reported:

Klus Ortleib, the hotel's managing partner, wants the place to fit in with the edgy local art scene. "When I came up with the idea, people said I was crazy," he said.

Anyway! We assume that the mural is finished. The bushes that were removed to make way for the crane...



...have been replanted.



Sort of. I'm not much of a gardener, but I always thought plant life did better in the ground if you first took off the burlap around its roots...



Previously.

Very bad things: Blarney Stone still closed on Fulton Street

No sign of any activity. If my math is correct, they've been closed now for 18 days.

Previously.

Friend House moves across the street; the Hea sign remains the same

As you may know, the Japanese eatery Hea closed its doors at 13th Street and Third Avenue in September. So the Hea brass, who also own Friend House across the street, closed up moved into the more spacious quarters.



The Friend House menus are up...



...but the old Hea sign remains...

Is This It?

The Strokes' "Is This It" has been chosen as the Album of the Decade by NME. (Via Spinner)

Nevada Smith's closing soon to go nationwide?

The Culture of Soccer blog has an interview with Jack Keane, the owner of Nevada Smith's on Third Avenue near 11th Street. The piece ends with this nugget of news:

Keane says that Nevada Smith’s has nearly outgrown its current Lower East Side location. “We don’t expect to be at this location very much longer. We’re looking forward to expanding. We have a group of investors who want to take us nationwide.”

From Eater: Superdive is for sale (Update: "Superdive will live forever"; may roll out nationally)

Eater is reporting that Superdive is for sale. As they note:

The asking price: $350,000 key money (the price to just take over the space) and a $10k per month 10 year lease. Now the listing doesn't necessarily mean the Dive will close, nor must it change hands.

The owners could just be testing the waters to see if they can unload it at that price. Potential new owners could keep it running as is—$20 all you can drink beer specials and all—or they could turn it back into a coffee shop, something it still somewhat resembles.

Meanwhile, one small matter for any new owner to consider: According to the SLA Web site, Superdive has former tenant Rapture's existing license, which is only effective through April 2011.



So anyone who takes over will have to go before the CB3 to get a renewal. This one will be filed under "renewal with complaint history." Good luck.

UPDATE: The Superdivers responded to the Eater report with the following:

A) SUPERDIVE will live forever.

B) SUPERDIVE will never close.

C) SUPERDIVE is looking for additional locations as well as weighing national expansion



Previously on EV Grieve:
CB3 didn't approve a liquor license for Superdive; "a nice neighborhood Internet café-bookstore" becomes a bar with keg service at tables

Things that I won't be watching on TV this week

The viking age: "They were grabbing people off the sidewalk and pulling them into their revelry of yo-ho! and woo-hoo!"

We're getting several reports about a pub crawl from this past Saturday. One reader described it as "a roving birthday party." One in which everyone wore viking helmets.

Here's a reader-submitted photo....



Others were apparently swept up in the hoopla as well....



From another reader:

"At one point, after listening to waves of screaming crowds, i looked out to see dozens of douchebags wearing Viking helmets! They were grabbing people off the sidewalk and pulling them into their revelry of yo-ho! and woo-hoo!"

The Pizza Shop has closed: "The rent was too high"

We're really sorry to hear this. We liked this place. We received a note from the folks at the Pizza Shop on Avenue A near Seventh Street:

We closed the Pizza Shop because the rent was too high. We struggled every month to make it... someone gave me an offer on the space and i decided it was best to take it. I'm looking for a new location and would love it if fans of The Pizza Shop got in touch via email so i can let you know when i'll be opening a new place. the email addy is
info@thepizzashopnyc.com
best,
Kevin Cole

Previously on EV Grieve:
Why is the Pizza Shop closed?

And now with the Pizza Shop closed...how to get to Cabin Down Below

Via a sign on the former Pizza Shop's gate...which doesn't make it quite so secret anymore...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Why is the Pizza Shop closed?

Renovations complete, Whole Earth Bakery and Kitchen back open for business

Good news: Peter Silvestri's Whole Earth Bakery and Kitchen, which has been closed for renovations since Aug. 14, reopened over the weekend.



As Slum Goddess reported back in September:

I went in there today and he was in there and they really did a lot of work on the place! All freshly painted, polished and gleaming..he was stocking the shelves and they had new menu signs hung up-bigger and brighter ones..It wasn't all fro-yo'd upped and gross though..still looks like good old whole earth-just spiffed up!

Indeed, the changes are for the better. It's easier to navigate the space now. Peter said there's still a little work to do, such as fill out the menu on the chalkboards, but you get the idea.