Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Video: 'Last Days at the Mars Bar'



East Village-based filmmaker Jenny Woodward has released an entertaining new video short titled "Last Days of the Mars Bar," featuring interviews with owner Hank Penza in the days leading up to the bar's closure in July 2011.

Penza shares some colorful anecdotes (and perhaps tall tales), such as how the bar got its name and how the first art appeared on the bar's walls on Second Avenue at East First Street.

And Penza doesn't seem all that broken up about the end of days here.

"Fuck the bar. What am I, crazy? There's a beginning and an end. You hear? The Mars Bar will live forever and I'll die... I feel like there's a beginning and an end, and this is the end to another chapter in my life."

Penza died last Oct. 29. He was 82.


Last Days at The Mars Bar from jenny woodward on Vimeo.


The corner storefronts where Mars Bar stood were eventually demolished in late 2011/early 2012 to make way for the 12-story residential building Jupiter 21. The corner space now houses a TD Bank and The Alchemist's Kitchen, a cafe and shop that sells botanical medicines, herbal remedies and whole plant beauty products.

H/T Goggla

10 comments:

bride of 7th said...

Bravo Jenny! That film is a real treasure. Thank you.

Bobby G said...

Every time I was at Mars Bar I was too drunk to think about who owned the place, but this sweet documentary video reminds us of the great characters that make the East Village special. Thanks for making it Jenny Woodward.

"Daycare for Drunks," was a graffiti once on the outside of the place that is fondly remembered.

Rip Hank Penza and Mars Bar.

Anonymous said...

boy I miss Mars

Laura Goggin Photography said...

Thank you for posting this. Long live Hank!

Nina d'Alessandro said...

Wonderful video! Thank you for this story and for sharing the video with us--So much the end of an era, vibrant spirit, and people that I miss . . .

Unknown said...

Hey - is this the EV artist Bobby G?

Anonymous said...

Loved the story of how they named it mars bar Old east village the real deal but boy was it filthy inside!

Anonymous said...

This was really great!!

Anonymous said...

Cameo from Andre "Nubian Nightmare" from Mephiskapheles at 5:49.

Unknown said...

I loved mars bar, I miss Mars bar, and this short doc reminds me why.
Thank you.