Planet Hollywood Comes Back With Too Many Digital Screens in
Kitschy global chain Planet Hollywood reopened its New York restaurant this month, getting rid of its array of celebrity memorabilia and knickknacks and replacing it with a whole overwhelmingly immersive digital video renovation in Times Square.
The revamp is like a Stefon sketch with all sorts of audio-visual projections and soundscapes. There’s a glowing staircase; there’s a ceiling of star shapes on the second floor; and the third-floor space is covered in video screen walls depicting clouds, galaxies, or wildflowers. The new location features lots of bars, two DJ booths, and a menu focused on its general American food. Older dishes that the brand is known for — like the chicken crunch and the LA lasagna, will be available under the 1993 Icons section of the menu.
The global Hollywood-themed chain originally had a Times Square location in 1991, which had since been operating on and off. It completely shuttered at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. This reopening, led by founder Robert Earl (who also spearheaded the nearby expansion of Guy Fieri’s Chicken Guy! this season), was announced in 2022 in a new location.
New tinned fish shop opens in Gowanus
Manhattan Spanish food shop Mercado Central expanded with a second location in Brooklyn this month. The new store is found in Gowanus at 252 Third Avenue, near Union Street, back in September 2024. The import spot is known for its large collection of tinned fish, along with hams, olive oil, cheeses, and non-edible items.
The tentative return of a Brooklyn bocce bar is paused for now
Shuttered Brooklyn bocce ball bar Floyd had been looking to reopen in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood at 72 Clark Street, but withdrew its liquor license application application, as reported by Brooklyn Daily Eagle. The bar had been aiming to reopen at 72 Clark Street with a bar, bocce court, televisions, and a pizza oven. It originally opened on Atlantic Avenue in 2023, but closed in December 2024.
