Thursday, January 3, 2013

Mars Bar primed to make an East Village comeback?

[Photo by Goggla]

We heard the unsurprising news yesterday that the former Mars Bar in the Jupiter 21 (will never get used to that name) building will be home to a fucking bank branch.

And we wondered whatever happened to idea that the Mars Bar would return here some day.

Well!

Billy Gray has this scoop this afternoon at the Commercial Observer:

Now, a source familiar with the deal tells us that the lease includes a second retail space that could assume the notorious Mars Bar’s trade name and liquor license. The development company BFC Partners reached an agreement with the Mars Bar crew that would allow the next commercial tenant to occupy a 4,456 basement and ground floor space under the proud, stubborn and–who knew?–business-minded Mars Bar auspices.

Back in July 2011, we heard that owner Hank Penza already had a manager for the new space ... and the manager has the actual bar and jukebox from the Mars Bar for the next place. Perhaps we'll see it one day in the bowels of Jupiter 21.

[Photo via @IrisBlasi]

Or maybe we should just let all this die...?

11 comments:

Makeout said...

The bar & the juke? Fuck man I don't know. Take alot more than just that.

glamma said...

i really hope this happens. i will go 4x a week.

AC said...

I'm in if Hank brings back the exact same shitters.

abrod said...

If another bar does open in that space, I wouldn't get my hopes up for an actual successor to the Mars Bar. Chances are it'll have the look of the Mars Bar, maybe even some of the original decor, but it'll probably serve fancy cocktails and craft beers to yuppies at increased prices. Think along the lines of the Blue & Cream "tribute" from last year and that's probably what'll happen here.

Anonymous said...

Mars bar and its gritty, trashy ambiance would be hard to emulate in a brand new multimillion dollar luxury condo building. I'm sure the landlord won't want them to trash the place so everything probably would have this "tribute" effect ala Blue and Cream as the earlier commenter mentioned.
I'd love it if they came in and trashed the place like rock stars and that stickers and grafitti will slowly cover every surface.

Anonymous said...

"I'm in if Hank brings back the exact same shitters."

Unfortunately, those two assholes were run out of town a while ago.

randall said...

Although I never got to experience the Mars Bar, I can imagine that the soul of the place is long gone into the ether and could probably never be recaptured.

Anonymous said...

If they get the same bartenders back, I'm sure the old regulars (who are still alive) will come back. And the place will look disgusting within a couple of months. It really doesn't take that long to dirty up a bar. Look at Double Down. They only opened in what, 2006? I remember within 6 months not only did it not have that "new" smell, that it was absolutely scummy and disgusting. I liked Mars because it was disgusting yet still poetic. Bring back Rolando the Chicken Man!

Laura Goggin Photography said...

I just don't see it happening. Sell the bar and jukebox to a museum and put its soul to rest. Trying to resurrect Mars would, I'm afraid, have a Pet Sematary result...

laura r. said...

i understand the grafitti stuff. but can someone explain this: why do you want dirt & roaches? i find this mentality demoralizing. does it make you feel better than me? (someone you may consider suburban)? or are all of you still in college, its about the parents? just saying.....

Anonymous said...

oh, that jukebox. damn.