New York’s Only Trader Joe’s Wine Shop Abruptly Closes

After more than 15 years in Union Square, Trader Joe’s only wine shop in New York state has come to an abrupt end. The grocery chain notified customers of the closure somewhat unceremoniously — with a note on the front door of the shop that was shared by EV Grieve — sending New Yorkers into a frenzy on social media Thursday evening. “Goodbye cheap booze,” one user mourned. “Pour one out for our source of two buck Chuck.”

Employees of the wine shop were notified of the closure at 12:01 a.m. on August 11 and will be paid through August 28, according to the note on the shop. The outpost was Trader Joe’s only wine shop in New York state, due to a law from the State Liquor Authority that prohibits corporations from owning or operating more than one wine or liquor store. The Monrovia, California-based company teased that it plans to open “an even better wine shop” elsewhere in the state soon.

Did the Bumble restaurant ghost New Yorkers?

That’s the question on Eater’s mind this week after learning that Bar Pasquale, the new Sicilian restaurant from Charlie Bird and Pasquale Jones, opened in the former home of Bumble Brew. The short-lived spon-con restaurant, a partnership between dating app Bumble and the Charlie Bird team, billed itself as “permanent” when it opened at 98 Kenmare Street last October. It appeared to be in business for around three months, before closing due to frozen pipes last winter and apparently Irish exiting from Nolita, calling to mind some dates on the app. Eater has contacted the restaurant for more information.

A three-story entertainment center opens in Long Island City

A massive 7,500-square-foot entertainment venue spread out over three floors, is headed to Long Island City next week. GameHaus, which has been listed as “coming soon” since roughly this time last year, will open to the public on August 18 with a beer hall, arcade room, tapas bar, and other spaces, LIC Talk reports

The Pina Pro is the table lamp of the summer

Slender and sleek, this table lamp has become an understated fixture of outdoor dining, including at some of the city’s hottest Manhattan restaurants. This week, the New York Times charts the meteoric rise of the Pina Pro, a $149 lamp whose sales “grew by 910 percent from 2020 to 2021 and are on track to more than double in 2022,” according to the publication.