Scheduled to attend were Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, NYC Council Member Corey Johnson, New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, and New York State Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, along with members of the entertainment unions, including the Local One stagehands.
The Café Edison is located at 228 W. 47th Street (between Broadway and 7th Avenue).
According to the New York Times, the cafe will be replaced by a white-tablecloth restaurant with "a name chef," Strohl said. The manager also told his staff of 32 that they will be out of work.
The Cafe Edison, also known as the Polish Tea Room, has been located in the Edison Hotel since 1980. A petition has been created to save the Cafe Edison.
Playwright August Wilson wrote notes for three of his scripts on Cafe Edison napkins, and Neil Simon's 2001 comedy 45 Seconds From Broadway was inspired by the restaurant. In 45 Seconds, the roles of Zelda and Bernie are based on the real-life owners of the Edison Cafe, Frances Edelstein and the late Harry Edelstein.
