It appears the beloved (some would say overrated) vegetarian diner Kate's Joint has reached the end of its rope. EV Grieve reports that the establishment, located on the corner of Avenue B and 4th Street, has been seized by the Marshal. The news does not come as a shock—owner Kate Halpern had been trying to raise money to pay back rent through an Indiegogo fundraiser that tried to appeal to locals' desire to "preserve the East Village. It is about preserving small, female owned businesses. Don’t let Avenue B turn in to a row of Starbucks and banks; help keep small businesses alive!"
Calls to Kate's Joint have gone unanswered, but as of last week, the Indiegogo page had raised less than $5,000 of the $30,000 Halpern said she needed to stay afloat. The demise of Kate's comes on the heels of news that popular bar Lakeside Lounge will close at the end of the month. On a semi-related note, Eater reports that Kenny's Castaways on Bleecker Street is now on the market. "The bar was originally opened in 1967 by Pat Kenny and has been run by his family ever since, hosting music luminaries like Jeff Buckley, New York Dolls, Blondie, Kiss, and Patti Smith," recalls Eater's Scott Solish. "It was also home to Phish's first New York City concert." And a pretty sweet setlist!
