No Chumley's For May

Here it is my sad duty to report that the latest touted reopening date for Chumley's—May—is not to be. Not unless they draft a few superheroes on to the construction crew between now and the end of the month.

Steve Shlopak, the owner of the famed bar, back in February told Lost City itself that the place would open for business again in this Merry Month. Of course, he's made promises before. Work does continue on the building. There's a new piece of scaffolding in the inner courtyard that wasn't there when I last looked. But this saloon is nowhere close to being ready to accept customers. And I don't see how it will ever open with just a few guys puttering around inside from time to time. A near wreck like 86 Bedford Street needs an army of workers buzzing around it 24 hours a day to have a hope in hell of rising up from the ashes.

April 5, 2008, passed with barely any recognition that the City has been without Chumley's for one whole year. Does anyone care out there? Is there no one with money and a mind who will step up to the task of saving this landmark? I hear there's a guy who lives on the Upper East Side and works in City Hall who's fairly well off and has a lot of influence. I hear he gives aways millions of dollars a year to worthy causes Maybe he's be a good guy for the job.