Former Red Bench Principal Wants ‘The Carolinas’ for 125 Rivington

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Over the years, 125 Rivington Street became a revolving door of sorts for the Sebago shoe brand and its collaboration with the Vane design collective. The pop-up store made at least three appearances, but the gates always seemed closed. Then the “About Face” exhibit occupied the space for a month earlier this spring. Leasing signs arrived last week begging for nightlife, and that might happen.

Application materials delivered to Community Board 3 reveal that former Red Bench (now shuttered) alumnus Mustapha Hadj-Arab is angling to open something here at 125 Rivington. Crosstown from his former home of 107 Sullivan Street, the Yemma Bar Corp. entity is being used to create an establishment called “The Carolinas.” The concept is a “family restaurant” that features Southern cuisine with a South Carolinian cooking style.

Said “family restaurant” suspiciously seeks late closing times: Sunday-Wednesday noon-12am, Thursday noon-2am, Friday-Saturday noon-4am.

Red Bench closed in early 2013 after almost a decade in business. Eater described it as “one of SoHo’s weirdest dive bars,” due in part to its propensity to smell like a “Glade plug-in.”