Union Square themed clothing is available from the Union Square Partnership.

We’ve had Thai restaurants as downstairs neighbors before, and now a new one may be coming to replace Corkbuzz at 13 East 13th. A liquor license application has been filed by Varith, a “family-run” Thai restaurant that has a highly regarded sister operation called Valla Table in Hell’s Kitchen run by Chuck Valla, who was a private chef prior to opening this first place in 2021. Looks good.

Our new downstairs neighbor, The Drop House, seems to be some kind of short-term music pop-up experience. It’s a bit hard to decode.

Thanks to Chris Heald for digging up two more photos of the “good old days,” when 14th St. was quite rough around the edges.

BodyRok, which offers Pilates-centric workouts with names like “Buns and Guns,” has arrived at 110 University Place. Ironic that it’s in the former location of Stromboli Pizza.

Portland, Oregon’s wildly popular Voodoo Doughnuts will open its first East Coast branch at 41 Union Square West, formerly the site of Republic. No opening date is scheduled yet.

Union Square just got a little more mysterious. Hidden beneath Mission Ceviche’s massive flagship restaurant, Sub-Mission is a new subterranean cocktail lounge that mixes speakeasy allure with Peruvian flair—and it’s shaping up to be downtown’s next late-night magnet.

The 1,000-square-foot hideaway, located at 7 East 17th Street, takes the phrase “below the surface” quite literally. Guests descend from the ceviche bar upstairs into a jewel-toned cocoon of gold, green and soft lighting. The centerpiece is a glowing U-shaped bar crowned by a chandelier and flanked by plush banquettes that seat 65. Fashion portraits, moody lamps and color-shifting backlit panels (yes, guests can choose the hue) complete the glamorous tableau.