Bowery Boogie | A Lower East Side Chronicle

Back in the early days of 2007, Tonic shuttered after nearly a decade of entertaining the community.  Pretty much an eternity in city time.  Since its demise, the onetime bastion of Lower East Side music has remained vacant, nearly forgotten in the deep dark shadows of Blue. Even though it’s languished on the open market [...]

Fourth generation co-proprietor Niki Russ Federman of the Russ & Daughters empire sat down with WNYC Studio 360.  It’s a brief, albeit candid look at her choice to helm the ship.  We learn that she initially resisted joining the family business, but thanks to the Klezmer Brunch at the now-deceased Tonic on Norfolk Street, she [...]

It’s still quite a somber scene outside the old Tonic space on Norfolk Street. DIY bar signs remain affixed to the shuttered doorway. Thanks in part to the egregious Blue condos, this vacancy is a constant reminder of the endangered music scene.