MIDTOWN — A Music Row institution has moved away from the block and a renowned Theater District eatery has closed as Midtown rents continue to prove unmanageable for many businesses.
While accordion repair shop Alex Musical Instruments — owned by a man named Alex Carozza described by The New York Times as the “last holdout” of the West 48th Street block known as Music Row — packed up and moved to West 54th Street in December, pre- and post-Broadway show staple Angus’ Cafe Bistro shut its doors on Sunday.
Carozza, 88, told BizJournals his landlord was asking for a 400 percent rent increase, from the $4,000 per month he was paying up to $16,000 per month.
“Who can pay $16,000 a month?” he asked.
Angus McIndoe, meanwhile, who manages the eponymous restaurant at 258 W. 44th St., told the New York Times he and his landlord could not come to an agreement on a new rent price.
“The idea was to open a restaurant that would be here forever for the theater people,” McIndoe told the outlet on Sunday, adding that he thought it “kind of worked.”
The “tri-level” restaurant opened 15 years ago next to the St. James Theater on West 44th Street, backed by financiers including Nathan Lane. During its run, it served Broadway stars like Lane and Matthew Broderick, theater producers and patrons, actors including Robert De Niro and Lauren Bacall and writers like Charles Busch and Kurt Vonnegut, the Times wrote.
McIndoe told Playbill he might open a new restaurant in the future.
“After I take a little vacation and think about it a bit, I might be back,” he said. “Theater people are the most interesting people in New York City.”
The exodus of Carozza’s accordion store, which had an accordion and bandoneon museum on its second floor, follows similar flights to other locations by Music Row stores like Rudy’s Music, woodwind and brass shop John Baltimore Music Co. and Sam Ash Music.
“I used to sell 10, 15 accordions a week,” Carozza told the Times. “If you sell one [now], it’s like, hallelujah!”
The past month also saw the closure of Frankie and Johnnie’s steakhouse on West 45th Street, which will move to West 46th Street in January, according to the Times, and the demise of the Times Square Toys ‘R Us.
