Experimental NYC Cocktail Bar Existing Conditions Is Permanently Closing | Eater NY

"An acclaimed Greenwich Village experimental cocktail bar, Existing Conditions announced it is permanently shutting down after a two-year run, unable to stay afloat due to financial strain from the coronavirus crisis. Known for a menu of involved, technical drinks served in a relaxed atmosphere, the bar's inventive program—spearheaded by co-owners Dave Arnold and Don Lee, who previously worked at Booker and Dax and PDT—focused on highly technical production methods, including pressure-cooked and clarified ingredients and a custom carbonation system. The owners offered takeout cocktails and outdoor dining during the pandemic, but those restricted operations did not bring in enough sales; as co-owner Greg Boehm said, "Running a bar in New York City is incredibly challenging, even during the best of times," and the pandemic exacerbated that. Drinks International named Arnold one of the industry's most influential figures in part for his work at Existing Conditions." - Erika Adams