Limbo

Last fall I posted twice regarding CBGB and their closing in October 2006, with numerous shots of the interior - click here and here. Of course, the closing of such a legendary club after 33 years was a big story and controversial - some felt the club should have been given landmark designation in order to save it; others felt the club had become more of a tourist mecca and no longer lived up to its original reputation. I thought I would take a final opportunity to photograph the club's original location while vacant, before a new tenant takes over the space. The media, in numerous stories and interviews, has reported that Hilly Kristal, the owner, has intentions to move the entire club to Las Vegas and take as much of the original club as he could: "I intend to take everything out of there that represents CBGB. We're going to take the bars, the toilets, the urinals, even the doors. We want to re-create the essence of the club." There have also been suggestions of franchises of the club other than Las Vegas. In the interim, a CBGB store has opened at 19-23 St. Mark's Place (bottom photo) which also serves as interim location for their fashion/merchandise line, their wholesale and online operations. I have not found any confirmation yet of their move to Las Vegas ...
Footnote: CBGB & OMFUG stands for "Country Bluegrass Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers," which reflects the owner's original intention for the type of music to be featured - the club ended up becoming the birthplace of American Punk and a venue for rock.