CBGB launched punk rock for 33 years — a rent increase ended it

CBGB opened at 315 Bowery on 10 December 1973, founded by Hilly Kristal, and its stage launched American punk: the Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads and Patti Smith all came up through a club whose full name promised 'Country, Bluegrass, Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandisers.' Its walls stayed untouched, encrusted with three decades of posters and stickers.

The Bowery gentrified around it, and the landlord wanted the rent to match: CBGB paid $19,000 a month when the Bowery Residents' Committee demanded $35,000 — Kristal believed the real ask was $55,000. In 2005 the BRC sued for roughly $90,000 of back rent; a judge ruled the debt false because the increases were never properly billed, but noted the lease did not need to be renewed.

Kristal negotiated an exit and booked a farewell month. On 15 October 2006 Patti Smith closed the club with a three-and-a-half-hour set, and Kristal called leaving 'like all of a sudden getting kicked out of your home.' Fashion designer John Varvatos opened a store in the space in April 2008, preserving the graffiti.