Historic, 190-Year-Old Neir’s Tavern In Woodhaven To Close Sunday

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    NEW YORK, NY (WCBS) — One of New York City’s oldest neighborhood bars is set to close.

The Queens establishment dates back 190 years, and gained notoriety as a backdrop for numerous movies.

The owners hope for a last-minute negotiation, and Friday morning the mayor chimed in.

The beloved neighborhood Neir’s Tavern bar dates all the way back to 1829. It’s counting down to its last call this weekend.

“It’s a staple of the neighborhood,” said Woodhaven resident Albert Arias.

The bar opened at the corner of 78th Street and 88th Avenue in Woodhaven back before Queens was officially part of New York City. It was 1829. Andrew Jackson was president. The bar served up rounds that would go up round and round for generations.

There’s a photo from 1898 of the man for whom the bar was renamed, Louis Neir.

“It’s really history, and it’s a good place to eat,” said Woodhaven resident Dorothy Wright. She’ll be visiting the famous eatery and watering hole today as it prepares to close at the end of business Sunday.

She remembers when the mob movie Goodfellas was being filmed there. It made Neir’s famous, even if many people didn’t know the name or location. TV commercials for the tavern alluded to that, with the tag line “Neir’s, the most famous bar you ever heard of.”

The bar’s owner for the last 11 years, Loy Gordon, broke the news about the tavern closing after 190 years on social media. He was on the radio Friday morning with Mayor Bill de Blasio explaining that the property was recently sold. The rent became too expensive, and he’s left with no choice but to close.

De Blasio said the city may try to help trying to renegotiating the rent. The property managers for the building told CBS2 the rent increase was justified, and that the owner of the tavern still owes them money, Carlin reported.

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