"The newly renovated Pussycat Lounge is reportedly reopening next year, according to the NY State Liquor Authority. Robert Kremer, the owner of the nearly half-century-old topless lounge on Greenwich Street, informed the S.L.A. about his plans to reopen the bar soon, after repairs to the building's interior are finished.

New York City shuttered the bar last October, saying the building at 96 Greenwich Street was unsafe for occupancy. Contractors were hired to start fixing the building in November.

Community Board 1 approved the renewal of the lounge's liquor license at the Financial District Committee meeting last Wednesday.

Ro Sheffe, chair of the Financial District Committee, said the bar has been a good neighbor overall, and has caused very few disturbances in the community." [Downtown Express] (via)

Continue reading "Pussycat Lounge reopening after all?"

Downtown strip club and sometimes music venue Pussycat Lounge (I even have it listed on our now-slightly-out-of-date venue map) is closed. NY Mag talked to the owner...

"...we reported that the 41-year-old Pussycat Lounge was closed owing to construction permitting issues, and now we've gotten in touch with owner Robert Kremer, who tells us, "I don't know what I'm going to do yet." Kremer, who owns the building, says he doesn't plan to sell the space and may eventually reopen it, but he hasn't determined whether or not it will remain the Pussycat Lounge. He tells us he's been struggling since 9/11.

"The whole area is decimated. Business is so bad that it's better we don't reopen -- it's cheaper that way." He says he's been trying to renovate his building inexpensively, since "we're not one of those places uptown that make a lot of money." But, he says, "The city is neglecting everybody downtown," reiterating a complaint he voiced to City Room in 2009. "It's like a step-child. There's a lot of regulation they're imposing on everybody that's very difficult. The costs are rising. It's a general thing, but I really do believe the city gives me some special treatment.""

"The city cracks down on things, just to give bars fines--that's what kills the new businesses," said Joi Brozek, former co-owner of the Lucky Cat rock club in Williamsburg. "If you're barely making rent and then you're slapped with a $1,500 fine, you're almost doomed to fail, especially when you're dealing with music because then everyone comes out of the fucking cracks like cockroaches."....

...."The reality of it is, live music isn't much of a moneymaker," she said. "If it was up to me, and somebody said, 'What would be your ideal business?' I would say, a straight-up bar, and that's it, because, really, live music is a ton of headaches." [The NY Observer]