West Bank Cafe/Laurie Beechman Theatre to Close in August

The West Bank Cafe and its Laurie Bechman Theatre, a pair of Hell’s Kitchen mainstays, will close in August.

“Due to the high cost of conducting business and the continuing fallout from the pandemic we can no longer afford to remain open,” the venue said in a post on its social media platforms.

First opened n 1978, the West Bank Cafe is a cherished restaurant in the theater district and home to a variety of parties and events over its 46-year existence.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre was opened in the venue in 1983. Known for its experimental performances, from traditional plays and musicals to cabaret, drag, jazz, and comedy, it has housed shows by Lewis Black, Karen Finley, Joe Iconis and Joan Rivers, who performed the final set of her life there on August 27, 2014. Playwrights like Tennessee Williams and Arthur Millers were regulars there, and Bruce Willis was a former bartender.

Owner Steve Olsen said in a statement, “We are forever eternally grateful for the support we have received from our Hell’s Kitchen and Theater communities throughout our illustrious 46 year history on Theatre Row and for the personal relationships and shared history we have forged with our customers and friends. Thank you to our entire staff for showing up everyday and making me look good. We hope to see everybody over the next few weeks to say goodbye.”

An exact closing date has not yet been determined.