Nice Guy Eddie’s Dismantled on Avenue A

Nice Guy Eddie’s has been a somber sight ever since Sunday evening, when the reliable corner watering hole shuttered forever. During this period of limbo, the graffiti-laden gates were usually drawn, revealing all the murals that have graced the neighborhood these last few years. Little did we know that renovation was swiftly progressing behind these closed doors.

Yesterday evening offered a rare glimpse of what’s happening inside 5 Avenue A. Total gut renovation to a point beyond recognition. Fixtures dangerously dangle from the ceiling, the bar is nowhere to be found, and the furniture is history. What to expect? Well, apparently some larger windows are in the works, but not quite of the floor-to-ceiling variety. That probably explains the removal of the security shutters. DOB permits for this latest activity were filed last week.

Meanwhile, the surfboard signage which once carried the Nice Guy Eddie’s name has been wiped clean. This obviously doesn’t bode well for the iconic Kiss mural, whose days of deterioration are most definitely numbered. In fact, due to the gate removal, chunks are now missing from the artwork. We honestly don’t see how this piece of street ephemera fits into proposed plans of serving “American comfort food.”

The team behind the effort – code named Downtown Dining LLC – is spearheaded by Darren Rubell, cousin to Studio 54 honcho Steve Rubell and current owner of Gallery Bar and neighboring Ella.