It’s Curtains for Cake Shop; Last Live Show is on New Year’s Eve
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After years of well-documented struggles, the current incarnation of Cake Shop – the venerable performance venue that entered the Ludlow Street music scene in 2005 – is ending. The refreshed exterior masonry and remodeled guts were apparently too little too late.
According to an email blast from ownership, the bottom line just isn’t being met, so major change is on the horizon. “Location and sustainability in our current and long running model have been an issue for more than a long time, as I’m sure you’ve heard me whine about for years,” noted the communique to supporters. “As beloved to you and me as it is, we are failing to keep up with the bills, we have been for years.”
New Year’s Eve (Saturday night) is the final live show. Below is an excerpt from the announcement.
Friends,
Perhaps some of you have already heard, our last show at Cake Shop will be New Year’s Eve, December 31.
We will close for improvements January 1, and reopen as soon as possible, but the end of Cake Shop in its current incarnation is this coming New Year’s Eve. Tonight is the start of some very, very special goodbye shows, and we’d love to see you all!!
Location and sustainability in our current and long running model have been an issue for more than a long time, as I’m sure you’ve heard me whine about for years. As beloved to you and me as it is, we are failing to keep up with the bills, we have been for years. It’s been the longest, most fulfillable, most enjoyable project of my entire life.
Said improvements, as we understand, include a transition to a more “regular bar” without live music, and a purported loss of the Cake Shop moniker.
This news isn’t entirely surprising. Cake Shop has been on the verge of collapse several times. It’s the culmination of several years of well-documented struggles and the crowdfunding campaigns to assist. Owner-brothers Nick and Andy Bodor later signed a ten-year lease, and, at the time, were committed to keeping music the sole focus.
A year later (i.e. this past June), they began shopping the cafe for sale, yet hoped to retain the basement for live shows. That’s all out the window now.
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