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Duane Park Is Moving to the Bowery
I’ve known for a while that Duane Park is moving to the Bowery—in an interesting partnership with the Bowery Poetry Club, as explained in a post on EV Grieve—but I’ve stayed quiet as a favor to the folks at the restaurant. It’s one of the few places where the staff knew me by name, long before I started this website. Back when I was working in an office, Duane Park Café—as it was known then—was where Adam and I would go to decompress on Friday nights; the food was good (still is), the welcome was always warm (still is), and the place was often dead in a way that was a total relief. Consequently, however, it wasn’t a huge surprise when, a few years ago, then-manager Marisa Ferrarin bought the place and gave it a glam makeover. She didn’t want to leave, she told me today. The restaurant had been on Duane Street, in one form or another, for 25 years (and Marisa has been involved for 20). But the building’s owner raised the rent to an extent that she felt she had no choice.
Lady Gaga at Duane Park in 2010 (photo by Malgorzata Saniewska)
The Tribeca Duane Park will be around till early fall, when it’ll take a couple weeks off to get things in order in the new location at 308 Bowery (below Bleecker). As EV Grieve notes, the Bowery Poetry Club will have the run of the place on Sundays and Mondays, when Duane Park has traditionally been closed.
The current version of Duane Park has also been a favorite of ours, although—somewhat inexplicably—we only recently made it to the weekend burlesque show. I’m normally wary of being in a room where someone (else) has a microphone, but I loved it. Loved it! Emcee Murray Hill was a riot, and I don’t tend to find comedians funny. And the music was a delight—the woman pictured at top (whose name I forget, alas), tore through “Summertime,” among other numbers. You’ll still be able to enjoy the fun above Canal—Marisa said that exciting plans for the opening are taking shape—but I’d suggest you go now. There was something about this ridiculousness happening in staid Tribeca that made it even more delectable, at least to me.
6 Comments
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That is sad, sad news! A Tribeca institution that will no longer be in Tribeca. It will not be the same and obviously can no longer be called Duane Park (but I’m not taking any wagers)
This is a huge loss to the neighborhood. My wife and I have had so many special nights (random mid-week dinners when we started dating/birthdays/engagement dinner/bridal shower) at DP and we will truly miss it. If the restaurant has to leave, can we at least keep George???
@David: It will be called Duane Park, and as to whether that’s reasonable or not, it isn’t exactly on Duane Park now. @Zachary: George is the best!
Very sad indeed that they are leaving Tribeca.
Why landlords have to be so greedy as to lose a landmark
venue !!
What about the Bowery Poetry Club? Duane Park is an overpriced snobby affair with expensive cocktails and massive attitude from the staff. Bowery Poetry Club is a gritty low-rent venue with a strong following of poets, artists, comedians, singers and bands. I just can’t see how the two of these places coming together will bring any good. I can’t imagine how they are going to keep the same customers, and now they will be spitting distance from the new and improved soon to re-open Slipper Room, which offers the same experience but without the pricetag. This is libel to cause the death of not one but two venues. What a mess, they should have stayed in Tribecca.
Marvin. Honey. Baby. They couldn’t stay in Tribeca because the greedy landlord raised the price too high. Marisa loves it there, doesn’t want to leave but doesn’t have a choice. The Bowery Poetry Club may be “gritty” but unfortunately in today’s New York that usually means “half full of people nursing one club soda all night.” We all miss the old New York, we really do. But to attack Duane Park is missing the point. The city is changing, my friend. I always had a blast at Duane Park. The staff were catty, but who cares? I would leave my umbrella, my shoes, and my ego at the door and throw myself completely into the melee. And I hate to be the one to say it, but “a strong following of poets, artists, comedians, singers and bands?” One word: MONEYPIT. Wait, make that two words: MONEY PIT. Try and stay positive, Marv. A bit of glamor is coming to the Bowery – go to the new DP when Calamity is doing her burlesque; she’s a riot. And just think, it could have been a Chipotle…