Shopsin's to Stay Put?
A few weeks ago, as you might recall, New York mag announced that Shopsin's, the West Village institution with an interminable menu and a cantankerously charming — charmingly cantankerous? — owner, was up and moving to Brooklyn, looking for cheaper rent. Then the Daily News followed up on the story, downgrading the move from fait accompli to something Kenny Shopsin was considering. But now we're hearing it's not true at all. A source who lives across the street from the restaurant emails:
Shopsin's is NOT moving to Brooklyn. I was in there last weekend and the Zack Shopsin (owner's son) assured me they are not moving. What happened was: a journalist was sitting in there and overheard Kenny Shopsin say something to someone about how Brooklyn was cheaper. And the journalist then asked Kenny if they were moving, and Kenny told him to write whatever he wanted to write. (They hate publicity).
It's sounds crazy, yes; but then so is Shopsin's. Plus, we ran this version past one of the city's foremost experts on the establishment, who insisted on complete anonymity but said, "My impression is that your e-mail informant has it right." That's good enough for us.
