"The influential Flatiron Lounge that was once home to several top cocktail makers like Phil Ward and helped shaped NYC’s craft cocktail scene will close Saturday, December 22, the Times reports. The bar has operated from 37 West 19th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenue, for over 15 years, but an alleged rent hike is forcing the restaurant out, owner Julie Reiner tells the Times. The monthly rate is set to rise from $22,000 to $30,000 — and that’s far too high for the bar’s current business model to sustain, Reiner says. Flatiron grew instantly popular when it kicked open in 2003 and became a starting point for many notable mixologists like Ward, who later opened mezcal bar Mayahuel; Giuseppe González of Suffolk Arms; and Lynnette Marrero, who’s now in charge of drinks at Llama Inn. Reiner is still involved with cocktail world hits Clover Club and Leyenda and rose to prominence for her involvement in Flatiron Lounge. It was credited with bringing serious, craft cocktails to the masses, in an era when many artisan cocktail spots were tiny speakeasies. The bar will close in January. Update: This piece was updated to reflect the bar’s new closing date of Saturday, December 22, according to co-owner Kristina Kossi." - Carla Vianna
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