Wednesday, July 29, 2015

1 year after closing, the Rodeo Bar space remains vacant on 3rd Avenue



Stepping away from the East Village for a moment… As we first reported last summer, the Rodeo bar — billed as "NYC’s longest running honky-tonk" — closed for good at the end of July after 27 years in business.

Now one year later, the storefront at 375 Third Ave. and East 27th Street remains empty. The asking rent is $58,333 per month.

In a message on Facebook, the owners said that recent rent increases, "combined with a changing landscape, have made it impossible for us continue."

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good! One less bar in the loser city. CB hasn't issued a 4am license in years. Only losers go out till 4 am in the morning

Anonymous said...

The Rodeo Bar was a good place to enjoy the music of lesser known country singers and bands. It's a shame another place that featured music fell the the wayside due to spiking rent increases.

Scuba Diva said...

Now if they can just get the tenants out of the upper floors, they can demo the building and build a tower. Progress!

Murray from Murray Hill said...

Rodeo Bar was the biggest bar to close down but is only one of many. This part of 3rd Ave is actually losing bars faster than they can open them. The Bulls Head bar near 23rd St.closed down after 20+ years, Inoteca wine bar on 24th and 3rd closed, Vertigo on 25th was sold and is now an Irish bar, McCormack's Pub across the street closed, was replaced by Grace Bar and it closed after just one year, Terroir Murray Hill is gone, tequila bar Teqa next to Moonstruck Diner is gone, The Black Bear Lodge on 22nd is gone, and a couple of other small bars next to Tonic closed down. a few more bars up in the 34th St. version of Hell Square are gone too. The only place we miss is the old Afghan restauant on 25th St,, but they probably didnt sell enough alcohol to pay these high rents.

Community Board 6 has finally said no to the worst offenders. Tonic wants to put 13 outdoor tables on the sidewalk, can you imagine the noise from that? Luckily CB6 said thanks but no thanks, we have had enough of your noise problems already, plus Tonic already have an outdoor roof bar so sidewalk tabes woud be overkill. Even Pranna, the Drunk Brunch Headquarters of Murray Hill was rejected by the CB for a liquor license renewal and they may be gone by the fall. Now that would be progress.

Anonymous said...

"For Rent" is the cool new look in storefronts. The "For Rent" across from me, as well, has been doing well for almost a year. Along Avenue B, down from Houston, too, "For Rents" are as popular as fro-yos were a year ago.

There are some really generous landlords around offering great deals on "For Rents."

Anonymous said...

I was standing across the street just this past sunday reminiscing all the good times i've shared inside this place with friends, family, strangers, Coronoas and all you can eat peanuts. Such a shame :(

Anonymous said...

NYC isn't a place people come to for culture anymore. These people don't want to listen to music, see art, see a show. They come here to exercise and inflict their corporate brand culture on the rest of us. This Millennial version of NYC is the worst. Rodeo was a great spot to listen to music, have a few drinks with friends, and not spend a fortune. It's missed.

Anonymous said...

I don't understand the logic of raising the rent and forcing out a tenant before you have a replacement. Now, the owners have lost $580,000 in potential rent - like killing the goose that laid the golden egg. And the community has had this empty nothing for a year. What a waste.

Nic Fit said...

To the "loser" commenter: winners stay out till noon. Maybe you should move to Los Angeles, New Jersey or somewhere a bit more conservative. You really don't deserve the freedom that New York offers.

roscoe said...

Due to the way the city handles commercial vacancies the owner of the property is reaping massive tax breaks from this empty storefront. Why do you think there are so many empty storefronts in Manhattan?

Anonymous said...

What roscoe wrote @ 11:41.

And that, ladies and germs, is a real problem no matter what the business is in the commercial space.

Anonymous said...

Empty retail at $60,000 as a write off is more profitable than $15,000 occupied. We need a law that says landlords can't write off empty retail or residential space.

Anonymous said...

@olympiasepiriot: But then the landlords should all be "asking" $100,000/month to maximize their tax breaks, no?

I really would like someone (Roscoe?) to explain this in depth, including relevant tax code statutes - not joking, I really want to see for myself where
& how the NYC tax code permits this.

Anonymous said...

Too bad that Rodeo is gone, it really was a fun place for the neighborhood. Another place just shut down -- Mezcal, a new tequila bar on 19th St. and Second Avenue is closed.

IzF said...

Lighten up 4:48am. Some of us "losers" work late and it happens to be that an after work drink is at 4am.

Marty E. said...

Well said, Sir!

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:18 AM: Actually, plenty of millennials like going to shows and seeing art and discovering new bands. This millennial mourned the loss of Rodeo Bar deeply, so don't paint everyone with the same broad brush.

Rex Stetson said...

Well folks, it is sad to see this happen to New York. The good news is, there are still wonderful places to see great live music. As far as "honky tonks" go.... you can check out Skinny Dennis in williamsburg. Opened just over two years ago. Great free live country & roots music. 7 nights a week and usually two weekend days a week. And believe me, there is a great community of people who play there regularly, and a lot of artists from all over the country being booked to perform there. And of course there are loads of other good spots all over brooklyn, where Millenials, and generations before all hang out together and enjoy or perform live music. Like, Bar Lunatico (which is a new spot in Bed-stuy. Great hang, great owners.) And old gems like Barbes', Sunny's, and Jalopy. Theres a bunch of others too. Go out there and enjoy!

Anonymous said...

Marty E & IzF

Why don't you speak out to the CB6 in favor of 4am licenses because the CB6 hasn't issued one in years and in ten years time perhaps maybe even five all bars in CB6 area will be 2am or earlier. Why don't you speak out against that?

Anonymous said...

Plaudits to Community Board 6 for not renewing the liquor licenses some of these noisy bars. Lower Third Avenue from around 35th Street down is one big loud bar scene. Tonic and the Banc Cafe are two of the biggest offenders. Loud noise goes on until 3 or 4 am. Bar-goers hang out on the sidewalk smoking cigarettes, being so loud the commotion can be heard on the top floors of residential buildings. The bars just don't seem to have any consideration for the neighborhood and its residents. Most people have to go to work in the morning but the noisy beat goes on and on. If you call 311 to report the noise and rowdiness, not much is accomplished. By the time the police arrive, if they do at all since noise isn't considered a crime priority, the bar has closed. If 311 sends the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) they merely measure loud music noise and not people noise. Drunk patrons have vomited outside my building or in the foyer, smashed beer bottles and have gotten into physical brawls. Again, thanks Community Board 6 - don't renew liquor licenses and it will help keep the noise down and maybe we can get a decent night's sleep.

Anonymous said...

1am closings are the future for new york! Come on CB6 lead the way!

Anonymous said...

Vacant storefronts, or as I call them, pop-up homeless shelters.

Anonymous said...

Amazing! I can see it now. New York - the city that never sleeps (except after 1am bc the transplants thought that it was too noisy). If you want suburban life move to NJ, Westchester or LI...a real actually live city like NYC is loud and dirty and sometimes stinks of piss and puke. Get over it. If your sensibilities are that delicate, again, please move the hell out of my city. I live next to a bar open till 4am every night and commute from the city to my job at 5:30am. Is it loud some nights? Sure - I put my AC up or use ear plugs. Is there puke on the sidewalk some mornings? YEP! guess what I do? Walk around it. Crazy right?