56 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
buzz
Woodhaven’s Neir’s Tavern to
celebrate 190 years with block party
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Woodhaven's legendary Neir’s Tavern,
which opened in 1829 during Andrew
Jackson’s fi rst term as president, is gearing
up for its 190th anniversary at
87-48 78th Street. Th e community will
celebrate with a huge block party on
Saturday, Oct. 5, from noon to 6 p.m.
“This party is a reminder to all that
Neir’s is still a community gathering
spot for those who believe in the
value of supporting historic community
businesses,” Neir’s Tavern Owner
Loy Gordon said. “Without people
actually coming in, instead of putting
it on their to-do list, we wouldn’t be
here today.”
Neir’s is the oldest pub to operate
continuously in the same location in
the United States. Other time-honored
establishments such as Manhattan’s
Fraunces Tavern and McSorley’s Old
Ale House and the White Horse Tavern
in Newport, Rhode Island, moved or
closed down temporarily in the past.
The Greater Woodhaven Development
Corporation is sponsoring and organizing
the all-volunteer Neir’s 190
Committee which will throw the sixhour
celebration featuring a bouncy
castle, street games, raffles, speeches
by elected officials and surprises
from the Fraunces Tavern Museum, a
Manhattan-based nonprofit that promotes
understanding of the past. The
Queens Historical Society will present
a commemorative plaque.
The tavern’s namesake, Louis Neir, is
seated at the far left in a photo which
dates to 1898, (Courtesy Neir’s Tavern)
“After 10 years as owner, I attribute
the continued existence of Neir’s to
our customer crusaders,” Gordon said.
“Customers such as the all volunteer
Neir’s 190 Committee members who
believe and campaign for us because
they, like me, believe Neir’s Tavern is a
worthy cause.”
Gordon, an immigrant from Jamaica
who is an FDNY lieutenant, and some
friends purchased Neir’s Tavern in
2009 just as it was about to go out of
business. Those who attend the Oct. 5
celebration will find a restore mahogany
bar that was installed when Ulysses
S. Grant was president and they’ll marvel
at photos depicting scenes from the
films “Goodfellas” and “Tower Heist”
that were shot at the saloon.
Visitors can also view images of Mae
West who is said to have made her first
professional appearances there in the
1920s when she lived a few blocks away
on 88th Street off of 89th Avenue.
“In my heart I dedicate this 190th
milestone to William Burlingame, a
World War II veteran who got married
at Neir’s Tavern over 70 years ago,
immediately after WWII,” Gordon
said. “He recently passed away.
Although I love ‘Goodfellas’ like anyone
else, it’s the regular supporters
and their stories, like Bill, I remember
the most.”
The block party will take place on
88th Avenue between 78th Street and
77th Street, right in front of Neir’s
Tavern.
Courtesy Neir’s Tavern
The tavern’s namesake, Louis Neir, is seated at the far left in a photo which dates to 1898
Courtesy of Neir’s Tavern
The all-volunteer Neir’s 190 Committee pose in front of their favorite tavern which is going to mark
a milestone next month with a block party next month.
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