It looks as though the former home of the Hog Pit on 9th Ave and 13th Street in the Meatpacking Districtwill not be turned into a Steve Madden, as had been expected and sadly reported. The last bra was tossed at the MPD Hog Pit when it closed Jan. 19, but the bar has been operating in the former Black Pearl space in the Flatiron District since November, with mixed results. At the moment the old space is empty of dancing bartenders in strategically torn T-shirts, greasy food and dazed looking tourists, and has a "For Rent" sign pasted to the window directing interested parties to RKF, a commercial real estate brokerage specializing in retail spaces.
So, for the time being, it seems there won't be a Steve Madden or even a Steven (like there is darkening the West Village) on the cobblestoned corner. Perhaps the purveyor of knock-off pumps didn't think it really needed to be within walking distance of Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Christian Louboutin, after all. Maybe a team of experts couldn't get the beer and sweat stink out of the floorboards. Whatever the reason, it seems the seedy outpost will be spared the indignity of housing cut-rate women's shoes.
A rep for Steve Madden wouldn't confirm that plans to move in after the Hog Pit vacated have been abandoned, and when asked about the location said, "We're keeping our options open."
The options don't seem to include a new store; when told, "You know there's a 'For Rent' sign on the front of the building?" the response again was, "We're keeping our options open."
"So there's no lease?"
"We're keeping our options open."
Apparently, they are keeping their options open.
