Chelsea Market's Lobster Place Expanding, Adding Oyster And Sushi Bars

Lobster roll lunch-seekers in New York City's Chelsea Market will be disappointed to discover that the resident seafood specialty store The Lobster Place is closed. The all-glass storefront is completely boarded up with signage that may cause temporary consternation, but should delight workers from Food Network, Oxygen, MLB.com, EMI, and NY1, who all have offices in the soon-to-be-expanded complex — and not just because of the potential for different kinds of fish. Part of the signage notes the addition of an oyster bar called Cull & Pistol. 

It's not the first time that The Lobster Place has expanded. Retail operations were increased back in 2008 as well to facilitate the addition of pre-made salads, soups, and sushi. But the oyster bar marks a new service-oriented era for the seafood spot. "When the doors reopen you'll find an even bigger and better selection of the great seafood you've grown accustomed to," notes The Lobster Place's website. 

More details (with photos) are available online. Anyone who has been inside will recognize the cashier and sushi areas but be pretty shocked at how barren and torn up the rest of the store is. According to the site, the construction crew has upped the number of jackhammers being used at night to take out the floors, which turned out to be much thicker than they anticipated:

"Why take out all the floors you may ask? Well, part of the renovation is installing brand-new stone hard floors throughout the space. It's a big part of the budget, but will be well worth it for a number of reasons. If you've ever seen our basement downstairs, it's proof that the current flooring leaks like a Russian Sub. The new flooring upstairs will ensure that you won't be purchasing fish in a puddle as it will all smoothly glide down towards the nearest drain."

Among the other improvements, the site notes that there will be a sushi bar with eight seats where customers can also order beer and sake. The sign (and the site) note that the newly remodeled seafood market will reopen in "mid-February."

Arthur Bovino is The Daily Meal's executive editor. Follow Arthur on Twitter.