Louis Schwartz, a part owner in what will be a charcuterie probably called Little Branch, was doing construction work a couple of weekends ago inside the new space at St. Luke’s Place and Seventh Ave. South. Downstairs in the basement it’s already a “speakeasy”-style club, also called Little Branch. Schwartz recently inserted a crossbeam support and a window into the first-floor wall, opening it up to the street. Upstairs will have 20 seats. Schwartz stressed they want the place to be “neighborhood friendly,” and will try to have people wait inside, as opposed to on the sidewalk. They’ll also install an accordion-style gate over the window, rather than a roll-down gate, since it will be quieter closing up at night. Until six years ago, the downstairs space in the small triangular building was a transgender nightclub.
