Then again, Tower is allegedly for sale, just two years after pulling itself out of bankruptcy--during which it tried without success to find a buyer. It's getting hammered by everything from Best Buy and Wal-Mart to Internet downloading--same thing that's killing the Virgin Megastore chain, which is pulling out of Mockingbird Station in the next few weeks. So maybe Tower's days are numbered. Of course, they have been for years.
Anyway, Dean & DeLuca's spokesperson, Deb Stockman, has been in meetings all day with the D&D bossman, so she could not be reached for comment. When she calls back--from her offices in Wichita, Kansas, which is not where we expected to find an upscale New York grocery store's corporate offices--we will let you know what she says. Till then, take a deeeeeeep breath and hold tight. --Robert Wilonsky