Don't Open A Restaurant In The New York Times Building

Montenapo

Just a tip to any aspiring restaurateurs out there: when this space goes up for rent, don't open a restaurant. Italian eatery Montenapo is closing its space in the New York Times building after three different owners failed to make it work after opening just 20 months ago. Latest owner Gennaro Sbarro told Crain's, "We've returned it to the landlord. We tried our best to make this property work. I don't think there is anyone to blame outside the economy."

Sbarro said he closed the restaurant about two weeks ago. He got it from former owner Henry Kallan, who in turn got it from original owner Roberto Ruggeri. “It's a big financial loss for us,” said Sbarro. Too bad, because according to their photos Neil Patrick Harris was there once!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jaya Saxena in Food on February 26, 2011 3:00 PM

Comments [rss]

JesseCal

A preview of things to come for the NYTimes. . .

If I were working at the Times. . . Well- I sure wouldn't be buying anything 'on time' !!

IvoryJive

Why would the owners of this building want their ground floor restaurant to keep changing hands and eventually close? Give them a rent break to startup. Just having a restaurant in your building is a great amenity for your employees and commercial tenants that, all totaled, represent much more valuable resources than some restaurant's monthly rent check.

Ragingsemi

I actually worked there as a bartender about a year ago when Sbarro (AKA biggest assclown ever) bought the joint. The rent is something like 90K a month it was impossible for him to ever make a profit there in the first place, it was just to stroke his big ego. That and the "corporate" cheff he hired as too busy shoving coke up his nose and trying to impregnate the staff he kind of forgot about cooking. Sbarro also owns Salute in midtown west, which from what I've heard has sunk so much money into Montenapo it's not long before it shuts it's doors as well. Thank God what kind of douchy Italian place plays hip hop for their diners anyway...oh and charges $20 a glass for Santa Margharita PG. Good riddance to Montenapo I hope someone who actually knows what they're doing puts something good in there, it's really a great space.

Mr Mel

Location, Location, Location.

NY Times or not, 42nd St & 8th Ave is still an armpit.

Peter Rosa

Owners of failing businesses will eagerly cite the economy or other external factors to explain away their lack of success. Quite possibly the most extreme case was that of the Connecticut Opera, which due mainly to out-of-control spending was facing bankruptcy in late 2008 after having been around for over 60 years. Management staked everything on a hugely expensive production in November 2008. When it flopped, the official explanation was that because the performances had been on the weekend before Election Day, would-be patrons were too preoccupied with the upcoming elections to care about going to the opera.

Within two or three months the Connecticut Opera was out of business, leaving behind a mountain of unpaid debts.

WetButt

Inakaya isn't even good and it manages to carry on so these people must have really not done a good job managing their restaurant

Kojak1

I think Inakaya has a better location on 40th ABOVE ground. It stands out far more and attracts a more regular crowd. That is not an area for fine dining.

Guest

Gee, Schnippner's and Inakaya seems to be doing just fine. Montenapo's three-time failure is less of a location/economy factor and more due to the fact that they had months of construction delays, were ridiculously pompous and overpriced (I can open my own door, thank you), and the decor shielded the dining room from passers by. As Gordon would tell you in restaurant school 101 — you need to create a buzz and let people see what's going on, not throw up curtains in a space made of glass. I pass by there every day and could never tell whether they were open or not.