Bono's brother Norman was the owner of the trendsetting cafe in Dublin. The problem is, trends have gone the way of the Celtic Tiger and Nude is no more.
The lime green signage popped up around Dublin as the Irish found more cash in their pockets. Joining the rest of the developed world, they discovered a penchant for fresh food, well prepared. Some even tried vegetarianism and headed to Nude for meat-free meals.
The Tiger is on life support and Mr. Hewson's dining venture has given up its last breath.
No matter how tasty the fare, when you're worried about losing your job you aren't so inclined to pay E8.00 for a bowl of soup with a muffin on the side. An entire can of soup can be had for less, and maybe it's not organic but it fills the belly.
University students flocked to the place, but it's the university crowd that manages to find the cheapest places to eat on a tight budget. Just because they filled the tables doesn't mean they spent enough on food to keep Nude open.
Over the past few years, those same students who might have patronized Nude were on their way abroad, looking for jobs that didn't exist in Ireland. The clientele departed, and not enough tourists arrived to take their place.
The restaurant operated at a loss, running specials at a cut rate to attract clients but losing too much money on the deal to create an uptick.
In the end, there wasn't enough ready cash around for spontaneous purchases of smoothies, organic soups and vegan muffins. Ireland is one of the European Union's problem children, a nation with a tower of debt that threatens to collapse the EU.
As for Mr. Hewson's brother, the band is prospering, with a new U2 album due out in plenty of time for holiday gift-giving. There will likely be a tour to promote the music. Does the band need a food and beverage coordinator, perhaps?
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