New York City's 21 Club dates back to 1929, and the former speakeasy has become an institution in and of itself among foodies.
But even institutions need renovations, and the popular high-brow eatery has been undergoing some refurbishments, specifically to its private dining rooms, which the New York Times reports brings in 60 percent of the restaurant's annual revenues. Bryan M. McGuire, the general manager, told the Times that the awkward T-shaped configuration of the existing private dining rooms cost the restaurant $2 million in lost opportunities like wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners and bar mitzvahs.
The new $1.5 million project, which started in late June, is transforming the old Puncheon Room and a space that was called the Main Dining Room into a new rectangular room that will have 10-foot-high, original floor-to-ceiling windows. The new 200-seat Puncheon Room will also be able to be truncated, using a removable wall, into a 100-seat dining room called the Gallery, overlooking West 52nd Street.
And to make things a bit more fun, the private rooms have already been booked for events just after Labor Day.
The 21 Club is located at 21 West 52nd Street in New York. Visit www.21club.com for more information.