R.I.P. The Bottom Line

[sun_set_bravely]

This is just sad. I understand the principle of the thing, but come on, is NYU really hurting that badly? Sometimes I hate my alma mater.

Judge orders eviction of Bottom Line nightclub

Thursday December 04, 2003

(New York-AP) -- It's the end of the line for The Bottom Line. A Manhattan judge has ordered the eviction of the Bottom Line nightclub from the Greenwich Village space it has occupied for the past 30 years. The club will close this month.

The judge found that the club, which has no lease and owes more than 190 thousand dollars in back rent, must relinquish its space to its landlord, New York University.

The club's lawyer said he expected the ruling and hinted that the club could reopen at another site.

N-Y-U says the university was pleased that the judge had ruled in its favor but saddened that the Bottom Line would close.

The Bottom Line hosted many legendary music nights over its three decades, with performers from rocker Bruce Springsteen to jazz trumpeter Miles Davis playing the room.

Reports of the club's possible closing prompted an outpouring of support from its thousands of patrons and performers including Springsteen, singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb and Tony Award winner Marc Shaiman.

Comments

[nickelchief.livejournal.com]

So is that benefit concert still on?

[sun-set-bravely.livejournal.com]

I think the concert will still go on, but I ended up not buying tickets, because the price was just too high.

[roadnotes.livejournal.com]

I have such mixed feelings about it: there is no other club that has that sort of show in the city (Makor comes close), and yet, I found the noxious service, the bad food, the vastly overpriced drinks, the cramped seating arrangements, and the arrogance of the owners ("Of course people will pay $5 extra at the door, even if we don't tell them about it! Of course people don't need leg room!) completely offputting. In the past five years, I think I've been to three shows there, simply because I didn't like the vibe.

[coyotegoth.livejournal.com]

Agreed. in a way, this reminds me of flap about the Oscar Wilde bookstore, with its notoriously bad service- I want it to stay open, but not necessarily as an ongoing business venue. Couldn't they make it a national lankmark or some such??

[sun-set-bravely.livejournal.com]

You both make good points here. Perhaps the club could have been saved by much better management. Although I found the cramped seating and the exorbitant food and drink prices annoying, being so close to the performers thrilled me enough that I forgot about the rest of the experience.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm. I know I should say something about institutions passing, but frankly, if I had something like the Bottom Line in a city like New York, I think I could run it and make it work, and I'm not Mr. Club Owner type at all. 190K behind with a franchise like the Bottom Line? Something must have been seriously wrong there.

[freak1c.livejournal.com]

It is a little sad, losing the space and all - but the ruling doesn't seem harsh. Considering if we ever owed H&N 190K they'd have us smooth on the street before we could say '!'

Also, clubs seem to relocate pretty successfully around that town, don't they. I mean - you've seen how cool Bang! is now. Or. um. Something.

Peace!