Curse of 71 Clinton Street Strikes Again as ‘The WhaLES’ is Evicted
Over at 71 Clinton Street, the storefront hex is alive and well. Indeed, the sixth restaurant in eight years just shuttered.
Except for a brief reprieve a couple weeks ago, Korean gastropub, The WhaLES, hadn’t been open much lately. The bar-restaurant debuted in June 2016 and quickly collected the requisite foodie accolades for being a new Lower East Side establishment. However, the business officially went belly up last week after City Marshals paid a visit and returned the premises to the landlord. The notice, dated last Thursday, is pasted in the window.
Perennially hexed is 71 Clinton Street. Every restaurant in this spot since the eviction of Fat Hippo seven years ago has been from the same principle (In Sook Sterling is the name on the liquor license) – Patate Fellow (closed May 2011), Hachember (closed February 2012), Itazakaya Dodom Pa (closed 2013), and Seoul Chicken (closed July 2015). And now The WhaLES. All met the exact same fate. With this latest development, it seems ownership might be done with the retail space.
Does anyone really miss these places?
Around the corner, meanwhile, the same address sprouted a Blue Bottle coffee dispensary five months ago. It replaced the San Marzano pizzeria that fell victim to a debilitating flood in February 2014.
This troubled property is owned one Robert Jaffe, who forked over more than $16 million for the 7-story, 15,000 square-foot corner building in November 2015. The previous owner, Steven Rosenfeld, filed for bankruptcy in 2011, and Jaffe purchased the assets in a court-approved auction.
Recent Stories
DOT Reinstalls Chinatown Bilingual Street Signs
The Department of Transportation yesterday began replacing bilingual street signs around Chinatown that had been removed for reasons such as damage or construction projects. Crews showed up early on Mott Street to install a missing sign at the corner of Mosco, then proceeded to other spots in the neighborhood. The bilingual street signs first appeared […]
After 120 Years, Future of Parisi Bakery Looks Uncertain on Mott Street
Parisi Bakery, an institution in Little Italy dating back to the turn of the last century, appears to be on shaky ground. The landlord (May Leun Realty) last week taped an official Notice of Termination to the shuttered roll-down gate at 198 Mott Street. Seemingly signaling the end an era. The letter noted a cancelation […]
The Push to Save New York Eye and Ear Infirmary Building, as LPC Stalls
With plans to close the 165-year-old New York Eye and Ear Infirmary building on Second Avenue, demolition is likely the next step. Preservation-minded groups have been lobbying the city to save the building from possible destruction. Led by Village Preservation, the organization sent a Request for Evaluation letter to the Landmarks Preservation Commission on April […]
Excavation Underway on Affordable Grand Street Guild Towers
Work is officially underway on two new towers adjacent to the Williamsburg Bridge. On-site excavation has been ongoing for several weeks at Broome and Clinton Streets, yielding plenty of dust and noise for neighbors. Earlier this year, demolition crews razed the two-story parking garage and Little Star early childhood center in the shadow of the […]
Mr. Fong’s Owner Plans All Day Cafe on Hester Street
Another day, another principal of Mr. Fong’s starting a new Lower East Side venture. Aisa Shelley – who co-founded the Chinatown hotspot with Lucas Moran, Noah Shelley, Daniel Eric Gold and Adam Moonves – is headed to 61 Hester Street. The long-inactive storefront previously occupied by L’estudio. There, Shelley will impart an “all day cafe” […]
