July 10, 2023 Restaurant/Bar News
Winston’s, the bar that was to replace Ward III at 111 Reade just off West Broadway, is clearly a no-go. Thanks to R. for the photo. As recently as early June, it looked like they were making progress…
It certainly wasn’t going quickly, since they were approved for their liquor license in March 2022. But I was hopeful. I always liked that space.
When Ward III closed in October 2020, Kenny McCoy, one of the three owners, cited the loss of the Spotify happy hour crowd as a prime reason. Now that Spotify is giving up much of its leasehold at 4 World Trade Center, it seems Ward III was the canary.
The bar opened in the former QDT space in summer 2009, won accolades over the years from across the city and survived a nearly two-year hiatus while the building was renovated. The bar’s name was part ode to the three owner bartenders, part nod to the address at 111 Reade and part historical reference to the border of Ward 3.
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One thing that takes a back seat to work from home is the damage done to small business. While nyc is more resilient the entire core of San Francisco got wiped out over work from home policies.
The issue of wfh alway centers on the worker and their need to work flexibly. Valid point , but can we stop for a moment and think about the incredible loss of local business?
Small and local businesses still exist, they just thrive closer to where people live rather than work. It’s a new paradigm, and neighborhoods need to start trying to attract residents instead of big business.