24 April 2012

Last of Bill's Gay Nineties Carted Off




Eater posted this sad photo of the Bill's Gay Nineties awning being loaded into a moving van. The old-time midtown tavern and former speakeasy closed last month after more than 70 years in business, kicked out by a ruthless Irish landlord. A note on the bar's site reads: "We are working on our new home. Please go to our contact page and give us your email address and name so that we can keep you up to date on our progress and let you know how you can help."

No definite word on who won claims to the bar, woodwork and paraphernalia inside. The landlord first wanted to buy the interior from the owner. When she wouldn't sell, the landlord claimed he owned the stuff anyway. 

3 comments:

Jeremiah Moss said...

did you see this?

http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2012/04/looks_like_john_delucie_is_inv.html

Brooks of Sheffield said...

I did. Always knew it was DeLucie. Now who's going to get the interior trappings? That's the question.

sheila doyle said...

The bigger question is - will he steal the name "Bills". Go the the link in the grubstreet article for SLA, there is a copy of the liquor license application there - and he applied for the license under - "Bills", anybody smell a rat? Not a stretch to think taking over the identity was his plan all along. Pretty infuriating!