“My husband has been quite upset about François Payard Bakery in the Goldman Sachs building,” wrote Amanda yesterday. “Apparently this whole week it’s been black with no lights, no workers, no beloved pretzel breakfast sandwich. Did you hear anything about it closing?”

I hadn’t heard a peep about it. I walked over, and it was indeed closed (above). Same with the main outpost on W. Houston (below). I tried calling, but after the recorded message, no one answered. And the brand’s website is down. There’s also the FP Patisserie in the Plaza Food Hall; I don’t know if it’s still open, since no one answered the phone—for the bakery or the hotel—and this isn’t enough to drag me that far AboCa.

While in Goldman Alley, I asked a staffer at Battery Place Market if he knew anything. Someone told him the restaurant was closing for renovations, to reopen under new management (and possibly with a different concept). With no phone or internet contact, I’m not sure how to go about finding out whether that’s true—perhaps this post will smoke out an answer. Certainly, there’s a case for changing the name: Esteemed baker François Payard, who founded the brand, resigned from it in August of 2016. (From Eater’s post about the resignation: “Payard’s partner in the business is MARC, the Marlon Abela Restaurant Corporation. MARC is currently going through a lawsuit and bankruptcy case at A Voce Columbus Circle.”)

UPDATE 1/23: Update from Eater: “MARC said in a statement that it’s ‘assessing and reconfiguring its U.S. businesses.’”