Vivienne’s in Pelham Bay to close
Owner of neighborhood staple says their last day is at the end of October
BY JASON COHEN
For more than two decades,
Vivienne’s has been a staple in
Pelham Bay. But at the end of
the month, the watering hole
is closing its doors for good.
Vivienne Hansen, 71, a
lifelong Pelham Bay resident,
opened the bar at 3044
Westchester Ave. 21 years ago
and has cherished every moment
as the proprietor. She
has hosted all types of parties
ranging from sweet sixteens
to bridal showers and become
a “mom” to many customers.
Over the years her patrons
have become family and she
said it has been very hard to
tell them the sad news.
“I am very proud of what I
have accomplished,” Hansen
said to the Bronx Times. “We
had a lot of fun and a lot of
tears. I really had a good run.
I had a lot of good people who
worked for me.”
Hansen spent several
years as a bartender working
at various places on Tremont,
Pennyfi eld and Waterbury
Avenues. She loved interacting
with people and being
in her community.
Running a business had
never crossed her mind while
bartending. But everything
changed when she went to the
old Greek bar located at what
is now Vivienne’s and was informed
that the owner was
selling the space.
Hansen then took a
leap of faith and seized
the opportunity.
“I said it would be nice to
own a bar,” Hansen recalled.
The transition to her new
career took time. As a bartender
she made drinks and
took care of the customers,
but as an owner she now had
to deal with vendors, ordering
food and paying bills, which
became a 24/7 job.
However, Hansen quickly
adjusted and fell in love
with it.
“It’s an interesting life. I
used to tell everybody I don’t
know if it was my best mistake
or worst mistake,” she said.
“A lot of my customers became
family. They were here
every day.”
Not only was it a place
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people came to for drinks,
but Hansen also held countless
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,6 OCTOBER 23-29, 2020 BTR
charity events at her
eatery. The bar held food,
toy and clothing drives
and Hansen volunteered at
Calvary Hospital.
She noted that if there was
a reason to have a party, the
bar hosted one.
“You just make so many
memories with the people we
met,” she said.
Things took a turn for the
worst in the spring right before
COVID-19 arrived. It was
then when her landlord said
he wanted to double the rent
or have her out by June.
Hansen didn’t think he
was serious, but then the pandemic
showed up and she was
shuttered until July. Those
four months were the hardest
in her tenure as owner.
Even when she reopened,
the bar only had room for a
few small tables outside. As
people could not drink without
being served food, she
and her daughter Tammi,
who ran the bar with her, provided
hot dogs, pretzels and
The front of Vivienne’s. Photo by Jason Cohen
other snacks.
The summer months did
not bring in much revenue
and Hansen did not receive
any fi nancial assistance from
the city either. The landlord
asked for rent in July, August
and September but that was
not feasible.
“How could he get rent if I
had to pay rent for my house,”
she stressed.
Finally, last week he told
her she had to be out by the
end of the month.
“I didn’t think he would
go through with it,” she said.
“I never thought it would happen.
I’m going to be sorry to
see it go.”
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