The famous music club that embodied the gritty Lower East Side of the '70s and '80s is reopening as a restaurant in Newark Airport, according to reports.
In a notable turn from its rebellious past, CBGB will join such eateries as Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Jamba Juice and Manchu Wok at Newark Airport in January.
The restaurant will be called CBGB LAB, for "lounge and bar." Its sign — influenced by the famous white CBGB awning — could be seen peeking out from behind a construction wall at the international airport.
The menu will primarily be American fare — hot wings, disco fries, wedge salad, "world famous" chili and cheeseburgers. Prices range from $6.50 for a French onion soup to $42 for a prime rib, according to the New York Daily News.
CBGB opened in 1973 at the site of an old biker bar. In its punk and new wave heyday, the venue hosted acts such as Television, the Ramones, the Talking Heads, Patti Smith and Blondie.
The venue closed in 2006, but investors bought its name and intellectual property rights in 2008, hoping to revive the brand by selling T-shirts and other memorabilia. CBGB Holdings LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection two years later.
There's no word if the CBGB at Newark Airport will include a graffiti-ridden bathroom.
