Marc Byrne, previous owner of XV, told me today, "It was just time to move on and relax for a little bit." The popular downtown bar was sold yesterday to Mr. Raj Patel.

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Patel has no plans to change anything at the bar in the near future, "I'm going to take some time and get a feel for the business," he said, "I want to get to know the customers." He does not plan on any staff turnover.

This is good news for those downtown drinkers who have come to call the slick and sexy XV their regular watering hole. Hopefully the transition will be smooth and painless. In order to help the process, the sale will be celebrated with a transition party next Thursday, June 12th, at 10 pm.

If there's one thing drinkers don't like, besides sudden erratic movements and a poorly mixed Manhattan, it's change. Apparently, none of these things will be happening at XV any time soon. So just relax, kick back and pretend that nothing happened.