Florent

69 Gansevoort Street | West Village | built 1949

Open on the map4 entries

Written with AI from the source each entry cites, then fact-checked.

1. 1938

   A luncheonette called R & L Lunch operates from this short, plain building

   In 1938 the low, unremarkable building at 69 Gansevoort Street housed R & L Lunch, a luncheonette. Ephemeral New York guesses it mainly fed Meatpacking District workers, though the sign also invited ladies in. The restaurant later became R & L Restaurant, and its aluminum sign still hung there in 2017 as one of the last authentic traces of the district's meatpacking era.

   Source: Ephemeral New York

2. 1985

   Florent Morellet turns R & L Restaurant into the all-night diner Florent

   Florent Morellet took over the R & L Restaurant at 69 Gansevoort Street in 1985 and renamed it Florent. The 24-hour diner drew late-night crowds, club kids, sex workers and brunch-goers, and by January 1986 was being called New York's hottest downtown eating spot. Its graphic identity, designed by Tibor Kalman and Douglas Riccardi of M&Co, is now in the Museum of Modern Art's collection.

   Source: Wikipedia

3. 1987

   Morellet, diagnosed HIV-positive, posts his T-cell count on the wall menu beside the daily specials

   After his HIV-positive diagnosis in 1987, Florent Morellet took to posting his T-cell count on the wall menu, next to the specials. The diner became a hub of gay New York in the AIDS years, and from 1989 it held annual Bastille Day parties, along with Halloween, New Year's Eve and Oscar night events.

   “Morellet was diagnosed HIV-positive in 1987 and used to post his T-cell count on the restaurant's wall menu along with the daily specials.”

   Source: Wikipedia

4. 2008

   June 29

   Florent closes after the landlord raises the rent, ending with five themed farewell parties

   Florent shut on June 29, 2008, once its landlord had sharply increased the rent. In the final weeks Morellet threw five parties themed on the stages of grief. A 2011 documentary, 'Florent: Queen of the Meat Market', directed by David Sigal, told the restaurant's story.

   “Florent closed on June 29, 2008, after the landlord raised the rent considerably.”

   Source: Wikipedia

Further reading

• What remains of a Gansevoort Street restaurantEphemeral New York

Nearby

• 67 Gansevoort Street2 entries
• 817 Washington Street3 entries
• 63 Gansevoort Street1 entry
• 823 Washington Street2 entries
• 28 Little West 12th Street2 entries
• 825 Washington Street2 entries

All 1,156 buildings with stories in West Village