The Curious Case of DTUT: Revival on Tap?

Early in the summer, the closing of coffee bar/Central Perk-spinoff DTUT threw a number of Upper East Siders for a loop. As the intel had it at the time, it was a classic lost lease situation; said a tipster: "It's only because after the fixed 7 year lease, the building's landlord is doubling the rent." But the past week, the Eater inbox is humming with news of a rather improbable rebirth:

1) "I just walked by the old DTUT location on 2nd avenue on the upper east side, and their is a notice of an application for a beer/ wine license to the DTUT CORPORATION. Is DTUT coming back? Please tell me it is so—Rohr's just does not cut it!"

2) "There are signs posted on my street (85th b/w 1st/2nd) that DTUT Enterprises located at 1626 2nd avenue is applying for a wine license and a public meeting is to be held October 3 (I think) somewhere on east 79th. Have you heard anything about this? Are they reopening? Nothings been moved out of the location since they closed."

That last line is quite interesting, no? Was the whole "closing for the summer" move simply a gambit to get a rent reduction? If so, a truly epic case of hardball that deserves our applause. Color this one developing; intel to the tipline, svp.
· The Shutter: DTUT [~E~]

[photo from June courtesy incantrix/Flickr]