Shopsin's RIP

Though the mercurial Shopsin's has had more rumored deaths than punk, it looks like this past weekend was truly the last for the West Village institution. A tipster reports that on Saturday, a horde of brunch hopefuls amassed outside the door. The staff, however, was only letting in regulars. Our tipster, a regular, said the atmosphere was moribund as the whole Shopsin family sat in a booth looking forlorn. According to one of the daughters (we think Melinda), Shopsin's is packing up to move to the Essex Street Market. The move comes after years of wrangling with the landlord over rent. "shallow journalistic fabrication." The new iteration of Shopsin's, to be opened hopefully in a couple of months, will consist of a sandwich stand and maybe a counter. But say goodbye to the extensive tablet of the menu, goodbye to the Connect Four and year-round Santa Claus. Rent and stress have finally caught up to the family. "The place is too large," Melinda was heard complaining, "too stressful. It is ridiculous anyone has to wait an hour for brunch." On her last brunch shift, she didn't want to be unduly stressed, hence the hordes at the door and the regulars inside the semi-empty restaurant. It would be nice to say Shopsin's exodus is an end of an era but the era has long been gone and Shopsin's was a relic. And now too the relic is gone.

Shopsin's [Official site]

Previously: Shopsin's Restaurant, Essex Street Market, Saxelby Cheese

Note: We just got this form Ken Shopsin: "Shame on you. My relation with my landlord has never been an issue. The rent he charges, has always been fair, even generous. The only problem I have with him is the bad press I cause him because of shallow journalistic fabrication."