Pink Pony on Ludlow Closes for Good

Just like Freddie said, “another one gone, another one gone, another one bites the dust.”

Looks like Pink Pony finally succumbed to the pressures of gentrification. The pioneering Lower East Side hang at 176 Ludlow closed a couple weeks ago under cover of darkness, seemingly not to return. Drawn security gates and the colorful mural are what remain to collectively greet those former patrons seeking casual no-frills grub. No notes, missives, or thank you letters posted anywhere. Just a quiet departure.

Sources confirm closure, while calls for comment are met without success. Yes, the Pink Pony phone number was also disconnected, with a Verizon operator instead trying to connect callers with a similar business. Apparently those establishments include Olive Garden and Red Lobster. WTF.

Sad as this news is, it’s not completely surprising. We all knew this day would eventually arrive, especially after the famed compromise of January 2011 in which a favorable rent deal was struck between the landlord and neighbor Max Fish, who subleased the adjacent restaurant space to Pink Pony. At that moment, the extension granted was only for a year so both were living on borrowed time. No word on whether owner Lucien Bahaj will relocate like he had expressed during the last scare two years ago.

Fingers of blame can be pointed in numerous directions, but the two properties immediately to the north are certainly prime offenders. 180 Ludlow and the Hotel Ludlow.

How do you feel about the loss of Pink Pony?