Year-end closures: The Grassroots, Paquito's, Noho Star and Republic

Year-end closures: The Grassroots, Paquito’s, Noho Star and Republic
[20 St. Mark’s Place the other morning]The Grassroots TavernThe 42-year-old bar at 20 St. Mark’s Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue is closing after service on New Year’s Eve. The owner of the bar was also the owner of the building and apparently sold the business without getting a favorable rent, according to some insiders. A “rent increase” is the official reason for the closure. The owner of the Ginger Man on 36th Street is taking over the space in 2018. Paquito’sThe 25-year-old Mexican restaurant at 143 First Ave. near Ninth Street shuts down tomorrow. However, Paquito’s will maintain a to-go counter and delivery service in the space next door to the restaurant. The owners didn’t provide a reason for the closure. Noho Star (and the Temple Bar)Both establishments on Lafayette Street will close after service on Sunday, as Jeremiah Moss first reported. There weren’t any official reasons given for the closures of Noho Star (opened 1985) or the Temple Bar (1989).RepublicThe 20-year-old noodle shop is closing this weekend on Union Square. A steep rent increase is reportedly behind this shutter. As Eater noted about Republic and soon-to-close Blue Water Grill, “these restaurants contribute to the neighborhood increasing in value, which in turn causes landlords to raise rents to unsustainable highs once a lease is up.”