One of Brooklyn’s most iconic music venues is currently getting ready to open in a brand new location.
The news of the sudden closure of Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory has sent the Williamsburg music community reeling. As one of the neighborhood’s most popular venues, the Knitting Factory had been responsible for introducing Brooklyn to some of the past decade’s biggest acts, including recognizable comedians like Hannibal Burress and Pete Davidson, and its disappearance will be sorely felt by the community.
The venue was originally established in the East Village when it opened up in 1987. Within walking distance from classic haunts like CBGB and The Bottom Line, the original Knitting Factory functioned as an art gallery with its own performance space and cafe, and was recognized as an important home for the budding experimental music scene. Soon after, the Knitting Factory began expanding their profile and were able to develop multiple Knitting Factory Concert Houses across the country, continuing to introduce audiences to exciting new sounds and experiences.
In 2009, the Knitting Factory we all know and love was established when Morgan Margolis took over as CEO and moved the venue from Manhattan to Williamsburg. For the next decade, the Knitting Factory would play a major role in the growth of the neighborhood’s reputation as a major cultural hub, encouraging all types of people to visit Brooklyn to see their favorite band. Sadly though, despite surviving the difficulties incurred by the pandemic, Margolis shocked the community last month when he suddenly announced that the Knitting Factory would be closing for good this summer. Having just wrapped up their final performances this week, fans waved a tearful goodbye as they bade farewell to their venue.
Thankfully though, fans won’t be left in the dark for long. According to tipsters at EV Grieve, Margolis is already planning on bringing the concept back to the East Village. While he is not ready to officially reveal the location, he’s confirmed the East Village transition and says that an official announcement regarding the space will be coming next Fall. In June, Margolis told Brooklyn Magazine that the next iteration of the Knitting Factory is “going to be a little different in that it’s going to be more of a neighborhood bar… we’re partnering up, so it’s not just going to be Knitting Factory,” adding that “The vibe is going to be similar… open to all. Capacity is going to be similar [around 300]”.
While Margolis and his team are getting ready to prepare the next iteration of The Knitting Factory, you can follow the venue on Instagram for regular updates when the team is ready to make further announcements.
