John Campbell's Wage Wars, Rock Bar's Donkey Punch

[Photo: Flickr/amorimur]

NOW OPEN — Rock Bar (80 29th St.) celebrated its debut last night with an ass. Not drunk patrons, mind, but a real live donkey and donkey punch specials, which was hopefully a drink of some sort. Where does one go from such a launch? [Bernalwood]

LAWSUITS — The sudden closures of 2/3 of the John Campbell's Irish Bakery (5625 Geary) empire last year might have a connection to a little issue of not paying employees. A new lawsuit from a former employee for back pay sheds light on eight other like-minded suits against the shop, set to the grand total tune of $57,000. [Grub Street/Examiner]

REVAMPS — E&O Trading Co. (314 Sutter) will hibernate for six months and re-emerge looking impossibly beautiful, with a later bedtime to boot. Arnold Eric Wong is revamping the menu and has brought in former Absinthe barman Carlos Yturria to shake up the drink program. The plan is to close in April for one month. [ISSF]

PLYWOOD UPDATE — Bi-Rite Market (550 Divisadero), last thought to debut by June, is now expected to open in October. If not this, a candle should be lit that something organic reaches this block this year. [Haighteration]