Puleo's made no official announcement about the closure, but by May 30 the storefront had been chained and the restaraunt's phone number had been disconnected. Puleo's II, which sits a couple of addresses down from Puleo's, was also dark. As recently as last winter, the owner of Puleo's told Playbill.com that the business had a seven-year lease on the building.
Puleo's death follows that of neighbors Sam's and Barrymore's—both longtime theatre hangouts. Frankie & Johnny's, the steakhouse that began life 80 years ago as a speakeasy, is the only eatery that remains on the west end of the W. 45th Street block between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. Though Frankie & Johnny's has refuted rumors that it, too, is closing, the landmark, second-floor business is expected to end its run soon to make way for a projected highrise hotel.
