The Former Beatrice Inn Space Readies to Reopen as Resto

After months of rumors, the fate of the much beloved and missed Beatrice Inn is about to be settled. A mysterious Mephisto Holdings, LLC will be appearing before Community Board 2 on Tuesday night for a new license to sell liquor at 285 W. 12th Street, the same address as our friend Beatrice. But before the block association gets itself into an uproar, everyone should take a deep breath. The good old days are gone, and it doesn't seem like they are coming back. The new proprietors plan to restore the space to its restaurant roots. But who is this Mephisto Holdings, and which taker is brave enough to make a go of this space where the community wounds are deep?

Besides being a LLC registered in Delaware, Mephisto is a Marvel character who, according to the Marvel Directory, "rules a fiery pocket dimension that he calls 'hell'." What's this have to do with anything? Not much, although the West 12th Street neighbors would probably find that to be a fitting description of the block when the Beatrice was in its prime.

But getting back to the future, it turns out that none other than Charles owner Cobi Levy has stepped up and taken the space. He says he will definitely turn it into a restaurant, not a club. This will be Levy's third trip in front of the community board, and both his other restaurant ventures (the sceney goose egged Charles and a planned sushi venture with Ben Leventhal) were pushed through without major complications. It's unclear if anyone from the old Beatrice Inn team will be involved, but it seems unlikely. For those holding their breath in hope of a rebirth, it may be time to exhale. Sigh.
· Beatrice Inn Coverage [~ENY~]
· Charles Coverage [~ENY~]