''The question of whether any particular restaurant is "needed" is perhaps unanswerable.''
I grew up in my family's restaurant, so my heart goes out to any restaurant struggling to make it. It's such tough, hard work and long hours.
That the West Bank Cafe made it through 46 years is quite an achievement, but it's also not just any New York restaurant in midtown. As the writeup accompanying its GoFundMe post notes, tons of theater artists, cabaret singers, etc., first gained their footing or made a name beginning their careers there.
If the West Bank closes, it'll join the long list of former historic spots that made New York unique. But if there's any chance to save it, it's worth the effort. |