Church and Wellesley comes back from the brink

Last year was a rough one for the gaybourhood. Zelda’s, Bigliardi’s, Pita Pen, Il Fornello, Carman’s, Lettieri, Statlers and Crews and Tango all shut down, leaving the Post and the Star to speculate that the Village was on its last legs. Well, according to an overstatement in Xtra ("Overwhelming prosperity grips neighbourhood in midst of death throes”), the Great Flame-Out of ’09 is over, and the district is quickly turning around. Maple Leaf Gardens will be reopening, the iconic Church Street Diner has expanded, Chic-Ko-Roo has taken Il Fornello’s old spot, and a liquor licence application has just appeared in the window of Crews and Tango. There’s still no word on the official reopening date of Crews (it has seemed to be on the verge of reopening every month since last summer), but the bar was accepting résumés last week. We’re sure there’s a diva reinvention metaphor in this story, but couldn’t decide which was more apt: Whitney or Madonna. Only time will tell.

• Businesses rush to Church Wellesley Village [Xtra]