The Living Room is Relocating to Williamsburg
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Shuttered Living Room, October 2013
It’s a sad, but true, state of affairs when Lower East Side institutions continue to shutter, and cross the river into Brooklyn. The Living Room, which spent sixteen years in the neighborhood gave up and is doing the same. It’s currently applying to open inside 134 Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg.
Last night, Community Board 1’s SLA committee out there heard the case for the venue. Testimony given by co-owners Jennifer Gilson and Steve Rosenthal revealed that “We just couldn’t find a location [in Manhattan] that was appropriate.”
Indeed, the Living Room was priced out of 154 Ludlow Street last December, and lived month-to-month for almost another year. During that time, Gilson and Rosenthal spent months researching new locations, but all were dead-ends. Their closest bet was the former laundromat at 173 East Second Street, but the application was roundly defeated by Community Board 3, thanks to the vocal block association.
Ultimately, the committee told the applicants last night to withdraw for more community support before a final vote can be taken.
If the liquor license is approved, though, the Living Room would join its former Ludlow neighbor Max Fish on the same street.
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