Boutique opens in old CBGB’s space

The John Varvatos men’s boutique opens today in what was once the famed punk rock club CBGB. The upscale Bowery store charges a bit more for its merchandise than the famously downscale CBGB did: some knit T-shirts retail for $130. But there are vestiges of the legendary club remaining. The walls are black and still have some old graffiti, while flyers from the 1970s are encased behind glass. In October 2006, CBGB closed after its owner, Hilly Kristal, lost a rent battle with the building’s owner.