The beloved West Village jazz club, Smalls, which closed in the spring of 2003, re-opened this past weekend in its original basement location at 183 W. 10th Street.

At the time of its closing, owner Mitch Borden told the New York Sun that he “never wanted to make a business out of Smalls” and just wanted to “scrape by, pay the bills, [and] create an otherworldly jazz club.” But the loyalty of Smalls fans, who have been showing up each night for the past 18 months to hear jazz, persuaded the new tenant to work with Mr. Borden in re-opening the club.

The space that opened last week is entirely renovated and includes a full bar. The cover charge is still $10, but there will be a two-drink minimum. A new format will emerge in the future, according to the Smalls Records Web site, but for now the music will start at 10 p.m., and it will be open until 5 a.m., 7 nights a week. Patrons can still hang out as long as they want, and there will be at least two bands per night and a jam session.

Previously, Smalls was open from 8 p.m. until 8 a.m. on most weekend nights, and patrons had only to pay a $10 cover to stay as long as they liked in the cozy, dark lounge. Smalls served free nonalcoholic drinks and allowed visitors to bring their own booze. When it became clear that the club wasn’t making enough money in the wake of the September 11 drop in tourism, Mr. Borden said, “I’d rather die than make changes. I feel very strongly about no alcohol, nothing to buy. If I can’t have it that way, I don’t want it at all.”

NOTES

The Whitney Museum has appointed Limor Tomer as adjunct curator of performing arts. Ms. Tomer, who comes to the Whitney after overseeing programming at the BAMcafe since 1998, begins officially at the Whitney on July 1. Ms. Tomer will curate the “SoundCheck” program, a series of music and spoken word performances on Friday nights, when admission to the museum is “pay-what-you-wish.” In addition, she will initiate a new performing arts series at the museum this fall. … Argentine authors Graciela Montes and Ema Wolf, best known for their children’s books, have won the Spanish literary prize Premio Alfaguara for their new novel “El Turno del Escriba” (The Scribe’s Turn). The book was selected from 649 entries, most from Latin-American writers. The award includes a cash prize equivalent to $175,000. … Buckingham Palace has established a new music prize called the Queen’s Medal for Music. The prize will “reward individuals who have had a major influence on the musical life of the nation,” said palace officials. Musicians that have had an influence in Britain, regardless of nationality, are eligible for the honor. All genres will be considered, from classical to hiphop. The first medal will be awarded on November 22 – the day that honors the patron saint of music, St. Cecilia, as well as the birthday of composer Benjamin Britten. The composer Peter Maxwell Davis, who serves as master of the Queen’s music, will chair the awards committee.