When word got out that Elaine’s will be shutting down for good this Thursday, people began speculating that Graydon Carter – a frequent visitor to the joint and a restauranteur – might save it. Sadly, The New York Observer reports that is not going to happen:

‘The partners and myself have made no progress,’ Mr. Carter told The Observer. ‘I know for Ken [Friedman] and myself it was really a matter of geography. If you live downtown, 89th and 2nd Avenue is really a serious hike, and ultimately, that was the deciding factor.’

It’s a shame, but as Carter noted, he wouldn’t have been able to keep the standard set by Elaine. ”God knows I look good in a muumuu, but I don’t think anyone could fill Elaine’s shoes,” he said.

If god does indeed know that, then we feel bad for him (her, it, whatever).