Free Hugs Cause Minor Park Panic

The retail operation of Arthur’s Invitations has finally closed on 13th St. They are now using the basement for their custom work. What will replace Arthur’s at street level. That is unknown.

Rock venue Irving Plaza is set to go quiet this summer for an eight-month renovation. The 150-year-old venue hosts its last scheduled show for the year on June 30—headlined by tropical band Guaco—before shutting down for work that is scheduled to last until next spring.

Live Nation, the concert hall’s operator, announced the planned renovations this week along with the Polish Army Veterans Association, which has owned the building since 1948.

The 3,300-square-foot hall was converted from a Polish-American community center into a concert venue in 1978. Since then, Irving Plaza’s marquee has listed big-name artists including Bob Dylan, the Foo Fighters, Radiohead and the Talking Heads. Paul McCartney played a surprise show there to a capacity crowd of about 1,000 on Valentine’s Day in 2015.

But, as some Yelp reviews document, concertgoers have complained about the venue’s narrow interior and a layout that makes it difficult to buy a drink or use the restroom without missing segments of the show.

Live Nation is promising that the venue will reopen with a revamped lobby, new bars, a downstairs VIP lounge and a remodeled mezzanine with a new configuration for box seats. A Live Nation spokesman said four new bathrooms are on the way as well.

Closed at the corner of 13th and 6th. Probably because for take out, the food was too pricey. Wonder what will fill that cursed space next.

This is S. Klein, the famous discount clothing store that did business on the east side of Union Square for decades.

Arthurs Invitations will close after Christmas. They will retain a printing operation in the basement, but the retail space at street level will get a new tenant.