Around Town: Last call at St. Nick's

Good food, cold drinks, live music and moody atmospherics have been readily accessible at St. Nicholas Café in Malá Strana for nearly 15 years. For the past four of them, the proceedings have been administered by Kevin Capuder.

"I had been an administrator at [Anglo-American University] and was looking for a career change around the same time the former owner was getting out," Capuder says. After some negotiation, the former educator laid down his laurels and accepted the torch of entrepreneurship.

It's been a rocky road. After nearly two years of attempts to wait out the drop in foot traffic and tourism in the pricey Prague neighborhood - resulting from the economic downturn - Capuder and company closed their doors May 15.

"A lot of business owners are just hanging on since the economic crisis," Capuder says. "We can't hang on any longer."

Amid the tourist traps, chain restaurants and palaces of bric-a-brac at the end of Charles Bridge near Malostranské náměstí, "St. Nick's" has been a haven for expats, locals and travelers alike in search of affordable sustenance and liquid refreshment. Reminiscent of a monastic cellar, the space dates to the 15th century. Since Capuder took over - bringing with him bartender Lukáš Hubínek, a Czech who speaks English like he's from New Jersey - it has also been a sure bet for a perfect martini, a rarity in a city where the cocktail is often either wholly misconstrued or astronomically overpriced.

Another open secret about the establishment has been the quality of its pizza. This menu item is widely available but rarely as tasty as the pie Capuder's staff served up.

"We definitely improved on that when we took over," Capuder says.

For the owner, though, it was never about the food and booze - or even business.

"It was all about the music," Capuder declares. Live music regularly echoed off the exposed stone walls in the cavernous eatery. Musicians Brad Huff and Kate Powers, among others, have called St. Nick's home, making the most of its informal and intimate setting.

On the bar's final night, a full house danced and drank the night away to classic rock hits, with Capuder serving as DJ. A pair of scantily clad women serenaded the crowd from the bar top producing a particularly rousing version of U2's "With or Without You."

Henceforth, it's back to teaching for the beleaguered barman.

"I need to make a living like anybody else," he said.

Capuder has accepted a post teaching business full time at Metropolitan University beginning next term. He will be passing on not only academic expertise but some hard-won wisdom as well: "Landlords in expensive areas like Malá Strana and the center have a difficult lesson to learn. Business has been dropping for a long time now, but rents have stayed the same. The crisis may have bottomed out, but it isn't getting better very quickly."

Capuder acknowledged rumors that another party may be taking over where he and his crew are leaving off, but details remain hazy.

At last check May 15, a scotch-toting Capuder pointed to the bar while vowing to "drink it all."

"I am not taking it with me," he added.

James Walling can be reached at
jwalling@praguepost.com