Hotel Gansevoort's Rooftop Brunch Pool Party Has Unik Of Merkato 55 And Bijoux Looking For A New Space2 comments

This weekend’s debut of brunch at the Hotel Gansevoort was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Unik of Merkato 55 and Bijoux.

I had previously said the departure of Derek and Daniel Koch from the Merkato 55 brunch scene was going to hurt the restaurant. Along with the crowd the Koch brother’s brought in, many of the brunch scenesters are now out East every weekend.

But the rooftop brunch and pool party at the Hotel Gansevoort has stolen whatever patrons Merkato had left. Merkato was busy, but not nearly as busy as it has been in the past. And it was nowhere near as busy as the Gansevoort, which had no room for walk-ins and a 40-minute wait to even get up to the roof.

The Cheshire Cat says tomorrow Unik is going shopping for a rooftop terrace. He needs a new place I’m pretty sure Merkato and Bijoux are done. Unik pays about $75k per month in rent and current business is not cutting it.

Where is he going to go?