1 Knickerbocker opened quietly last Christmas, and then steadily garnered positive press throughout the spring. The beautiful, storied building seemed like the perfect home for the turn-of-the-century New American dishes and a menu replete with decadent and thoughtful fare. But beneath the placid waters of a quietly bustling Bushwick restaurant there lurked, perhaps, previously undetected troubles. The owners of 1 Knickerbocker also own Kings County, which has been driven out of its home by rent hikes. And if you swing by 1 Knickerbocker, you will find a handwritten sign stating they are ‘Closed For Renovations till July 13th.’
But our sources have indicated that 1 Knickerbocker, the address, will no longer house 1 Knickerbocker, the establishment, at all. Instead, will Kings County move its operation over to the wedge-shaped building with the beautiful kitchen? And if so, will they still sell fried pig ears? Only time will tell…
UPDATE: We just found out that the building at 1 Knickerbocker is up for sale! Have a cool 2.5 million sitting in your back pocket? Drop it on this baby.
ANOTHER UPDATE: The owners of 1 Knickerbocker reached out to us and offered an explanation. Despite the listing, they are still planning on moving Kings County into 1 Knickerbocker. Jesse Levitt had this to say, “This spot will soon be the new home of Bushwick’s neighborhood institution and local watering hole Kings County Bar… but with a few updates. The re-launched bar will be called Kings County Saloon! We are excited to grow into a bigger and better space and promise that the local attitude and lack of pretense that has made us a part of the neighborhood fabric for 10 years will remain the same.We’d like to invite you to join us for a re-launch party on Friday, July 18 where we will debut our new bar snack menu and live music too! Please help us spread the word by sharing this post. On Sunday, June 13th, there will be a second-line style funeral procession from the old Kings County to the new one, followed by a soft opening at the former 1 Knickerbocker location.”
We’re happy to see that these guys will be sticking around the neighborhood, and that Kings County will live on!
