The charming sake bar Shigure has closed permanently, after a decade at Church and White. (Thanks to P. for letting me know.) It was a lovely spot, and while I often choke on the word, ‘authentic’ is what springs to mind. Its warmth and coziness came from the fact that it was not scrubbed down and tweaked to perfection, and those kind of places are fast disappearing.

They announced the news on their website: “Dear Friends and Guests, After 15 years of service, we are unfortunately closing our doors. Our last day of business will be Saturday February 12th. Thank you very much for the loyal support all these years.”

The bar opened in 2012 at 277 Church, specializing in 50 types of sake, shochu and beer made in Japan. P. said the owner was ready to return to Japan, since his parents were elderly. It was less about covid, though of course they took a hit. Pre-pandemic it was often crowded, even on weeknights.

Sigh.