

Cake Shop. (Google Maps)

In recent years we've seen a number of closures on the Lower East Side—restaurants, bars, and venues from a very special time (that is, when I lived there) have shuttered faster than you can say "SoHo House." Let's do a roll call: Pink Pony, Max Fish, Motor City Bar, the Dark Room, the Living Room, Fontana's, El Sombrero, Alias, Lolita... and that's just in the past few years. Newcomers probably don't even know about places like Rothko, Luna Lounge, Sin-é, and Tonic. If you lived on the LES in the early aughts, your local bar or venue is now a condo. And Cake Shop is the latest casualty.

The 10+ year old DIY venue, known for its charming twinkly lights, tinsel, and unique general admission floor space that sloped downward toward the band, has "quietly and privately announced" that New Year's Eve will be their last night, according to Brooklyn Vegan. We've reached out to the owners for more details and will update if we hear back, but the news is not a huge surprise. Last year the venue was looking for an investor, citing a dire financial situation and inability to pay rent and other bills. They suffered through similar issues back in 2012, but managed to remain open.

The venue/bar/cafe/record store has been a tiny little haven on Ludlow Street, featuring some great lineups in their homey basement cavern. Tickets to remaining shows can be purchased here.

So, what's left? Mercury Lounge, which has been safe likely because it is owned by Bowery Presents. And Pianos, the cockroach of Ludlow Street, will probably never die.

Update: It's possible it will turn into a "regular bar" with no live music and a different name.