WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES JANUARY 31, 2019 11
New push to preserve Woodhaven’s historic Neir’s Tavern
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
CMOHAMED@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
As Neir’s Tavern enters its 190th
celebration this October, a new
committee has been formed to
preserve and protect the oldest tavern
in Queens that has been a fi xture in the
Woodhaven community since 1829.
The Neir’s 190 Committee held its
fi rst meeting Jan. 19 at Neir’s, where
landmarking designation and the
recent sale of the building was a topic
of discussion among residents.
“When you think about it our neighborhood
is very fortunate in that we
have a lot of stores that have been
around for a very long time, said Ed
Wendell, executive director of the
Woodhaven Cultural and Historical Society.
“You go around neighborhoods
and you might see one, but you’ve got
a handful of stores that have been here
80, 90, 100 years, but then when you
think of Smith’s Candy now entering
its 90th year … you think about the
day they opened, Neir’s was already
celebrating its 100th anniversary!”
Although part of the committee’s
goal is to protect the tavern — located
at the corner of 87-48 78th St. — its formation
also begins the offi cial 10 year
countdown to the 200th anniversary
celebration of Neir’s.
Known as “The most famous bar
you’ve never heard of,” Neir’s Tavern
has been serving locals in the community
since 1829 — over 180 years,
according to its website.
Aft er all of the businesses that have
failed, Neir’s has survived for 190
years, said Wendell.
It’s never a guarantee that it’ll
survive 200 years,” said Wendell.
“The people that joined this
committee, not only believe in the
business and the history, but also a
lot of faith in the owner of the bar,
Loycent.”
When Loycent Gordon heard the
struggling tavern was up for sale, he
and his partners purchased the business
in 2010 and restored the interior,
stripping the paint down to the wood.
Although Gordon owns the business,
he doesn’t own the building, which has
been sold to a new owner.
“According the Department of Finance,
the building was sold for $1.35 million,
and we’re hoping to reach an agreement
with the new landlord that would ensure
Neir’s lasts for another 190 years,”
said Gordon, whose lease expired the
same day the building went up for sale.
Gordon said the creation of the
Neir’s 190 Committee will help ensure
the tavern’s sustainability.
Wendell, who has attended political
events, birthday parties and wakes at
the tavern, said he’s hopeful they will
come to an agreement, since Neir’s
has become a “family-friendly” place
bridging gaps between people.
“You hear the word ‘diverse’ thrown
around a lot. You see people side by
side that you won’t normally see …
rubbing elbows at a bar,” said Wendell.
“Everyone knows they’re welcomed
there. It’s a melting pot.”
Referencing the recent landmarking
designation of the Forest Park
Carousel and a portion of historic
Richmond Hill, Wendell said obtaining
landmarking status for Neir’s
Tavern would mean permanence and
acknowledgment.
Three years ago, the Queens Historical
Society made an eff ort to have
Neir’s landmarked, according to Wendell.
Although it’s a diffi cult task at
hand, the committee is hoping the City
Landmarks Preservation Commission
will reconsider the application for
Neir’s at some point.
Preservation of the tavern will give
the next generation an opportunity to
visit a place where they feel comfortable,
said Wendell.
Photo courtesy of Flickr user The Whistling Monkey
The exterior of Neir’s Tavern in 2016
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