Friday, March 12, 2021

New owners in line for former Thirsty Scholar Pub on 2nd Avenue

Thirsty Scholar Pub has not been open since the start of the pandemic in March 2020 on Second Avenue between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

New owners are now in line to open a like-minded establishment here. David Harris (above left) and Cris Nastasi (right) will appear before CB3's SLA Committee on Monday for a liquor license for a bar called the Long Pour.

The two, who collected signatures of support outside the space this week, have ties to the neighborhood — and this block. Harris is currently the manager of Bull McCabe's on St. Mark's Place and previously served as a bartender at now-closed block-mates the Telephone Bar & Grill and Ryan's Irish Pub. Nastasi was born and raised in the neighborhood and spent 15 years as the technical director of "Stomp" at the Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue.

You can find the Long Pour questionnaire on the CB3 website here

The virtual committee meeting starts Monday evening at 6:30. The Zoom link is here.

The Thirsty Scholar opened in 1999, first going as the Jolly Rodger. 

Photo by Steven 

14 comments:

Neighbor said...

Good. Hopefully no problems with the liquor board. We're all better off the more vacant spaces are filled

Anonymous said...

Dave from Mccabes?! That’s great news. Won’t have to travel far to see him. Hopefully Pete will be back behind the stick as well. Good luck!

Grieve said...

Yes — Pete will be working here

Anonymous said...

This was a decent bar block back when Telephone and Ryan's were here. Both places had a friendly local vibe and good food. Hoping these guys can pull the block back from the hideous claws of the douchebro place next door.

Anonymous said...

ahhh nice!!!! I've met Dave many of times since i've lived in the East Village. Very nice guy. He has been a long time bartender/manager in the local EV bars. Nice to see some local blood keeping the neighborhood alive.

noble neolani said...

I don't know the persons behind this bar but every time a new bar opens in this bar saturated neighborhood I can only consider this a bad thing. The more bars you have on a block the more people looking to get shit face drunk you will have. Wooo!

Anonymous said...

Glad to see some nabe oriented owners are taking it on, hope that the bars reopening will lead to less apartment party thumping, wooing and bashing and general drunk noise in the residential buildings

Anonymous said...

Been going to bars my whole life and never to get "shit face drunk". Although it has happened. I'm trying to write a post here that's both critical of certain people and their near constant haranguing about bars but also be respectful.

Anonymous said...

So glad to hear! Pete is the best.

I have enjoyed the Scholar for years (on weeknights mostly... it could get a little loud on weekends with spillover from the 13th Step crowd) and wish the new owners good luck.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry but if it doesn't literally reek of luxury I won't support it.

Adam said...

A true treasure of the East Village, I’m sooo glad to hear the Thirsty Scholar is coming back!!!! Without this place, I was a actually considering quitting drinking all-together!

Anonymous said...

It’s a college neighborhood. Stop trying to take the fun away from them and young professionals living our their young lives just the way you probably did. Want a quiet residential area? Move to the suburbs, not hard.

Anonymous said...

Good luck! Looking forward to drinking there again

Beau said...

This is AWESOME! Good luck guys!