Pub & Kitchen's Clark has eyes on the Meme space

One popular parlor game - at least among the nerds who play guessing games about vacant restaurants and their fates - is "Who will take over 2201 Spruce St.?"

That spot, once home of Melagrano, was Meme until late July, when chef David Katz opted out.

The closing sent a bunch of folks rushing to building owner Andrew Krouk. I hear that even Stephen Starr kicked the proverbial tires.

But public records suggest that Dan Clark, one of the owners of the nearby The Pub & Kitchen at 20th and Lombard Streets and the Jersey Shore spot The Diving Horse, is behind a liquor app at 2201 Spruce. It's through an entity known as DRC Spruce Street LLC, whose registered address with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is Clark's condo.

In a phone conversation last week, Clark confirmed that he had looked at 2201 Spruce, but that "nothing official" was done.

Last year, Clark and partners tried to open a café/restaurant at 609 S. 20th St. in a building that has been vacant for more than seven years but ran into community opposition.

Stay tuned.