Want to spruce up your garage?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6980099.ece

Something in the way of Tiffany perhaps?

Now that really pisses me off. From the linked article "It was forced to seek bankruptcy protection in September after New York City officials decided not to renew the LeRoys’ lease. Creditors ranged from butchers and bakers to uniform companies and balloon artists." What ever moron official decided not to renew the lease should be shot at dawn. Come off it, it's such a massive landmark and as the same article says it's a huge tourist destination. I'm just glad I got to go there before it closed.

They also had to close down the Russian Tea Room. Sad.Methinks there were shenanigans behind closed doors with the City and the new Owner.

33 million in 2008, and they still couldn't make it work? I don't know how bad to feel about that.

Joey

joey48442 wrote: 33 million in 2008, and they still couldn't make it work? I don't know how bad to feel about that. Joey

There didn't go broke, the were pushed out as the city didn't renew their lease, giving it to someone else. Smells like $$$ behind the scenes to me.

I rememebr Ghostbusters coming out when I was 14/15 and seeing Rick Moranis banging on the window as the monsters were chasing him. Wanted to go ever since. My wife finaly took me about 5 years ago. Simple food done really well in stunning surroundings. It's a travewrsty that such a land mark of NY is gone. Pisses me off. Heck Duke Ellington and John Lennon played the piano there.

Crying shame.

Sounds like it's not going away, but the city decided to lease the space to someone else. If that someone else is bright, they won't change much from the $33m business they take over.

I agree with Joey: this sounds like some fishy backroom business.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: "They didn't go broke, the were pushed out as the city didn't renew their lease, giving it to someone else. Smells like $$$ behind the scenes to me."

The article says stuff is being sold off to pay debts. The guy wasn't paying his bills.The lease was up and someone else(possibly more solvent) was willing(able) to pay more for the lease. In this country, that's called free enterprise.

What's even more "fishy" is that the current owner trade-marked the name, but the city insists the new tenant can use said name regardless of its' legal ownership by the previous tenant.

Attorneys and NYC officials are making money off this deal.

Part of having a billionare mayor is sometimes you get busness deals that may look kinda shady. Perhaps a friend needed a new conversation piece. The city often forces people out at the end of a lease rather than renewing if they think they can get a better deal. From what a new former employee said on the train the other day someone is supposed to be pumping some money int updates and renovations, and since it has to remain closed two years to reopen without union staff expect those renovations to be complete in 2012.