Smith's Bar and Restaurant

Smith's Bar and Restaurant, 801 Eighth Ave., Manhattan.  (T. Rinaldi)

"Situated just west of Times Square, Smith's Bar once shared this stretch of Eighth Avenue with a notorious lineup of down-and-out dives, adult movie theaters, and flophouses.  In recent years the street has cleaned up measurably.  The few adult 'novelty' shops and peep shows that survive here seem almost quaint, regarded by both native New Yorkers and European tourists with a strange nostalgic affection.  Through all of this, Smith's survives, though it too has experienced a bit of a facelift in recent years."  - New York Neon, p. 114.

This week, Jeremiah's Vanishing New York reported that Smith's will close today (Thursday, Oct. 30, 2014).  

(NYC Department of Buildings)

SEE ALSO:
• From back in 2012, this piece on the origins of Smith's neon.