This morning we detailed in three parts one of the most excruciating circumstances that exists in any bar in NY: the absurd, ridiculous, mind-blowing no sneakers dress code at The Campbell Apartment. (It's something that The Bruni has dealt with, too.) It is not posted anywhere on their website, nor does the dress code discriminate in other ways, such as to prevent the wearing of tattered jeans. So, on the off chance that we might fix this—it's a damn pretty bar in an area without many options—we thought we'd draft up a little something to the management.
To Whom It May Concern:
We are native New Yorkers who dine and drink out up to six nights a week. We have always loved Campbell Apartment. We have been going to the lounge for many years, long before its most recent facelift (and, we believe, change in ownership?). Although we currently live downtown, we've never thought twice about coming uptown for the venue. It is a great treasure for New York nightlife.
On a recent weeknight, we had planned to spend a couple of hours at the bar with friends, but had to go elsewhere when one of us arrived in a suit, white starched shirt, and (clean, simple) sneakers. A quick scan of the room while being ejected by a disrespectful doorman revealed a room full of people who where in various states of dress; few of your customers could have been said to be substantially better dressed than was our party. Many were dressed decidedly more casually.
Let's get to the point of this letter. Can you please clarify, exactly, what the dress code at Campbell Apartment is? It isn't stated on the bar's official website, which we find to be a significant oversight, given how rigid-seeming the policy is. Furthermore, we hope you can take a moment to explain your company's rationale behind the dress code. New York is a city of great character, a place where residents and visitors alike tend to dress casually but smartly--and individually. This is a reflection of the city itself, which often shows similarly elegant color. We do wonder how a bar so fundamentally and exquisitely tied to the history of the city could so grossly lose sight of this spirit.
Thank you very much in advance for your reply.
Sincerely,
Eater.com
For what it's worth, a close facsimile of this was sent to Hospitality Holdings on Monday. No reply as yet.
· Campbell Apartment Dress Code, Part 3 [~E~]
· Campbell Apartment Dress Code, Part 2 [~E~]
· Campbell Apartment Dress Code, Part 1 [~E~]For more stories from Eater, go to eater.com.
