Lost City Asks "Who Goes to Hinsch's?"

This is my first Bay Ridge "Who Goes There?" column and it's long overdue. I thank photographer Daniel Krieger, who took the above shot, for suggesting the place.

Who Goes There? Hinsch's

The neon signage outside Hinsch's in Bay Ridge is a bit on the grandiose side, given what lies inside. This is, after all, a simple luncheonette, with a side line in homemade candy and ice cream. But 62 years in business ought to buy you something in terms of respect. So the frontage is arguably warranted.

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Hinsch's, Classic Bay Ridge Soda Fountain, Closes

Hinsch's, the 63-year-old soda fountain and luncheonette that was one of the oldest and best things about Bay Ridge, has abruptly closed. It was the owner's choice—partially. "Basically my lease is up and that’s all," owner John Logue told Brooklyn Paper. Logue posted a sign announcing the closure on the store’s window on Thursday.

However, a sign outside the Fifth Avenue shop—which I profiled in "Who Goes There?" only last March—said "Current economic conditions, customers changing eating patterns, and our desire to retire early have led us to this decision."

Also, a greedy landlord, as usual, takes some blame here. "Anna Tesoriero said that she was seeking rent of more than $10,000 a month from Logue or a deep-pocketed corporate client to take over the space —up from the $7,500 a month Hinsch’s was paying." And so you trade in a steady tenant and six decades of history for a temporary windfall. Ripping the heart of a community is worth that, right? Right?

UPDATE: Someone has contacted me who wants to save Hinsch's great neon signage. Does anyone know how to get ahold of owner John Logue? Please contact me at lostcitybrooks@gmail.com.

Bay Ridge Landmark Hinsch's to Be Saved

Out of the blue, there is now a fairytale ending to the sudden demise of Hinsch's, the historic lunch counter in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Brooklyn Paper reports:

Hinsch’s, Bay Ridge’s legendary luncheonette and sodaountain, will reopen under new ownership in November.

Gerart Bell, an owner of the Fifth Avenue restaurant Skinflint’s, confirmed on Saturday evening that he and two partners had reached a deal with landlord Anna Tesoriero to reopen the legendary greasy spoon, known for its egg creams, homemade candies and throwback decor.

“We’re shooting for Nov. 1,” he said.

The menu is not expected to change, he added.

The news, which was broken on the Facebook page of Councilman Vince Gentile (D–Bay Ridge), comes just two weeks after the 63-year-old family business was shutteredon Sept. 29 after city health inspectors found the shop between 85th and 86th streets was a refuge for rats, with rampant roaches and improperly refrigerated food...

After the closure, Tesoriero said she would seek rent of more than $10,000 a month — up from the $7,500 a month that Logue was paying.

Bell declined to comment on the specifics of the lease, but did say that Tesoriero cut him a deal because she wanted Hinsch’s to stay open...

Skinflint’s has its own syrupy history — the Fifth Avenue restaurant between 79th and 80th streets known for its burgers used to be the Myer & Blohm ice cream parlor.

The Neon We've Lost

The way the City is run under Herr Bloomberg, we've gotten used to old, timeless, irreplaceable mom-and-pop businesses disappeared at a rapid rate.

Lately however, the City has suffered a string of lost businesses that take their glorious neon with them, leaving the burg all the more visually bereft. Hinsch's, the Bay Ridge soda fountain, was only the latest. It had one of the greatest, and oldest, neon signs in the town (photos courtesy of Project Neon). Here are a few more.

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Lost City's "Who Goes There?" Columns

The following are the collected editions of the "Who Goes There?" columns. Each edition originally appeared on Eater.com.

As the introduction to each feature states, the purpose of the series is to crack the doors on mysteriously enduring Gotham restaurants—unsung, curious neighborhood mainstays with the dusty, forgotten, determined look—to learn secrets of longevity and find out, who goes there. (Venues that have since closed their doors are designated by an asterisk. Those designated with a hashtag have changed management.)

Who Goes There? Dominick's
Who Goes There? John's Pizzeria
Who Goes There? El Quijote
Who Goes There? Lexington Candy Shop
Who Goes There? Donovan's Pub
Who Goes There? Roll 'n' Roaster
Who Goes There? Piccolo Venezia
Who Goes There? Tom's Restaurant
Who Goes There? Prime Burger*
Who Goes There? L&B Spumoni Gardens
Who Goes There? Colandrea New Corner
Who Goes There? Lupe's 
Who Goes There? Frankie & Johnnie's
Who Goes There? El Sitio
Who Goes There? Il Tinello
Who Goes There? El Viejo Yayo
Who Goes There? Joe & Pat's Pizzeria
Who Goes There? Marchi's
Who Goes There? Lee's Tavern
Who Goes There? Sarge's Deli 
Who Goes There? Toledo
Who Goes There? The Tap and Grill
Who Goes There? El Parador Cafe
Who Goes There? Villa Berulia
Who Goes There? Randazzo's Clam Bar
Who Goes There? Liebman's Kosher Deli
Who Goes There? Bohemian Hall Beer Garden
Who Goes There? J.G. Melon
Who Goes There? DeFonte's Sandwich Shop
Who Goes There? Isabella's 
Who Goes There? Mont Blanc
Who Goes There? Hinsch's*
Who Goes There? Brennan and Carr
Who Goes There? Stage Deli
Who Goes There? Gargiulo's
Who Goes There? Charlie Mom
Who Goes There? Mario's
Who Goes There? King Yum
Who Goes There? Sam's Pizzeria
Who Goes There? Capsouto Freres
Who Goes There? Two Toms
Who Goes There? Marco Polo
Who Goes There? Sardi's
Who Goes There? Wo Hop
Who Goes There? Quatorze Bis
Who Goes There? La Traviata*
Who Goes There? La Rivista
Who Goes There? Von Westernhagen's*
Who Goes There? Puglia Ristorante
Who Goes There? Trieste
Who Goes There? Monte's Trattoria
Who Goes There? Suzie's Chinese Restaurant
Who Goes There? Sofia Ristorante
Who Goes There? Le Rivage
Who Goes There? Rolf's
Who Goes There? Armando's
Who Goes There? Fortune House#
Who Goes There? Zum Stammtisch
Who Goes There? The Red Rose
Who Goes There? El Paso Restaurant
Who Goes There? Sammy's Roumanian Steak House
Who Goes There? La Mancha
Who Goes There? Forlini's
Who Goes There? Sevilla
Who Goes There? Spanish Taverna*
Who Goes There? Donohue's Steak House
Who Goes There? Pietro's
Who Goes There? Brooks 1890 Restaurant#
Who Goes There? La Ripaille
Who Goes There? Isle of Capri
Who Goes There? Heidelberg Restaurant
Who Goes There? Lanza Restaurant
Who Goes There? Francesco Centro Vasca
Who Goes There? John's of 12th Street
Who Goes There? Gino*
Who Goes There? Le Veau d'Or
Who Goes There? Ralph's Ristorante Italiano
Who Goes There? Les Sans Culottes
Who Goes There? Gene's Restaurant
Who Goes There? Villa Mosconi
Who Goes There? Tripoli
Who Goes There? Rocco Restaurant#
Who Goes There? Pergola des Artistes
Who Goes There? Queen Restaurant
Who Goes There? Spain Restaurant
Who Goes There? Fedora Restaurant*
Who Goes There? Tour Va Bien

Bring Out Your Dead: 2012 Roundup of Lost New York City Landmarks

Every year since I began this blog has seemed like a bad year for New York landmarks, with too many classic restaurants, bars and stores falling under the steamroller of progress. But somehow 2012 feels like one of the worst. Maybe that's because of the exceeding quality of the places that have closed. Any year that includes the exit of such irreplaceable establishments as Bill's Gay Nineties, Prime Burger, Donovan's Pub, Lascoff Drugs, Colony Music and Manganaro Grosseria Italiana has to be counted a black year. So, here is the final sad and sorrowful tally. 

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Lost City Asks "Who Goes to the Danish Athletic Club?"

I went to dine at one of my favorite places in New York City, the Danish Athletic Club in Bay Ridge, just before Christmas. I had heard it might close at the end of the year. But the lovably ornery woman who runs the restaurant, Reidun Thompson, assured me she was keeping it going, at least a couple years, and all the reports had been wrong. Here's my Eater report:

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Another "Who Goes There" Subject Falls

Spanish Taverna, a Garment District standby that I profiled in a July 2009 "Who Goes There?" column, has closed. I can't tell when the shuttering happened. According to a Yelp posting, the place was will in operation in October. But the phone has been disconnected. And there's a "For Rent" sign in the window, the other windows being papered over.

Here's a bit of what I found in 2009:

The inside, however, is as drab as ever. Tan, brown, yellow—the colors of the 1970s. There’s a nook of a bar up front, and an oddly airless, somewhat depressing dining area in back, with rows of booths on either side. A wealth of mirrors on the sides and in the back lends the illusion of space, as do the unusual plastic arcs which hang from the ceiling and partly divide one booth from the next. I’ve never seen this latter design feature in any other restaurant. It must have seemed terribly modern 34 years ago when Spanish Taverna opened.

Those who come here (Garment District workers, who like to haunt the bar; foreign tourists from Australia, Spain and elsewhere; a few elderly pre-theatre diners) seem to regard it as a hidden gem purveying some of the most authentic Spanish grub in the metropolis. Indeed, the food, while hellishly expensive (entrees range from $18 to $30; a glass of sangria is $8) is more than decent, and undeniably bountiful. I particularly like the mariscadas—various kinds of stew brought to the table in weathered pewter kettles. And everything is served with a dish of very nice, thinly slice fried potatoes.

So, that makes three former "Who Goes There?" subjects that have bitten the dust this fall: Spanish Taverna, La Petite Auberge, and Hinsch's (though the latter is slated to reopen new year under new management). And Rocco's will close early next year. I would have done a "Final Seating" column for Spanish Taverna if I had but known.