The door is now open at Lucy's on Avenue A

A welcome sight on Avenue A ... Blanche’s Lucy’s Tavern — aka Lucy’s — is back open now for take-home drinks here at 135 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street... EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by to say hello to proprietor Ludwika "Lucy" Mickevicius, who's serving drinks from a to-go table at the front door...



You can't go inside the longtime bar, where Lucy has been these past 40 years ... but Stacie did get the grand tour (including the basement!)... we'll post those photos at a later date...



Lucy's is open from 4-10 p.m.

A hopeful sign of things to come at Lucy's

There hasn't been any activity at Lucy's in recent weeks (except for that letter for Lucy on April 12). The bar on Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street has been closed since March 14 during the COVID-19 crisis.

In recent days, however, one of Lucy's signature smiley-face signs appeared on the front door — "We will open soon" ...

Sunday's parting shot

A card for Lucy at Lucy's on Avenue A. The bar has been closed during the COVID-19 health crisis since March 14. We haven't heard anything about Lucy in recent weeks — we hope that she is doing well!

Thanks to Lola Saénz for the photo today...

Lucy's is on summer break

Speaking of notes for customers... Lucy's at 135 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street is now temporarily closed (this after service on Saturday night).

A note, with a more elaborate smiley face, is on the front door...



Lucy usually takes off for several weeks this time of the summer to visit family in Poland. Come back soon!

Thanks to Steven for the photos!

Lucy's

[Random Lucy's photo from 2009!]

The March 19 issue of The New Yorker includes a short Bar Tab feature on Lucy's, 135 Avenue A:

In the back, East Village lifers shot pool, and a man celebrated his roommate’s arrest, which had resulted from a brawl over unpaid rent. Flush for now, he bought a round of Serbian slivovitz (a throat-burning plum brandy) and toasted the N.Y.P.D. in absentia.

[Above photo of Lucy from New Year's Eve 2015 by Peter Brownscombe]

Lucy's returns on Avenue A

After the usual summer break (though this one seemed a little longer)...

Lucy's is currently on the usual summer hiatus

[Photo by Steven]

There is usually some cause for concern when people notice that Lucy's hasn't been open of late on Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street.

Lucy usually takes off for a few weeks this time of year to visit family in Poland. (In 2016 for instance, the bar was dark from July 22 through Aug. 5.)

She has randomly closed for a short period of time without any explanation (here and here).

Anyway, the note on the front door this time around states "We will open soon."

Lucy will see you back on Aug. 5

Lucy is on her usual summer break here at Lucy's on Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and East Ninth Street… back open on Aug. 5…

Lucy's is back open on Avenue A

Lucy's has been closed these past two (plus) weeks at 135 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and East Ninth Street... while she does take several scheduled breaks during the year (usually with an announced return date), the note on the door was different this time, simply saying "closed until further notice."

In any event, an EVG reader walked by this evening and reported that the bar is open...

Updated 1/22



EVG regular Peter Brownscombe stopped by last evening... Lucy did have to return to Poland for family business. She will be back later next week. In the meantime, Marko is here running the place in her absence. All is well, though.

This block of Avenue A is awfully quiet, and why is Lucy's closed?

Not much happening on Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and East Ninth Street... as far as storefronts are concerned..

Nino's and Yoshi Sushi are entering the third month of closure, apparently due to a gas leak in the building. (And the landlord previously issued eviction notices.)

The space between these two restaurants remains vacant. The 10 Degrees Bistro closed back in August. (The team behind Shoolbred's and Ninth Ward got the OK last month from CB3 for a beer-wine license to open a cajun-style restaurant here.)

Continuing north... EVG regular Peter Brownscombe shared these photos from last Wednesday night... Lucy's has been closed...



... and the note on the door isn't the most comforting — closed until further notice.



Lucy tends to take several breaks during the year, though she always leaves a sign with a reopening date. She has randomly closed for a short period of time without any explanation (here and here). Anyway, not sure what is happening here.

And the rest of the block... Top A Nails is open... the former Sustainable NYC is for rent... and Doc Holliday's anchors the corner at Ninth Street... for now there are just two of seven businesses open on the block...

In case Lucy's was in your plans this Thanksgiving holiday

Per usual this time of year, Lucy is on a break here at 135 Avenue A ... back on Dec. 11, per the festive sign on the door between St. Mark's Place and East Ninth Street.

We've never seen a Santa adorn one of her signs before... flowers, smiley faces and suns, but never a Santa.

Lucy's will return Aug. 14

Lucy is on her usual summer break here on Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and East Ninth Street… back open on Aug. 14…



Meanwhile, a random Lucy's photo from the EVG archives…



As I recall, this photo is from early on a Saturday night last November. Someone asked Lucy to turn on a specific college football game. She found a Yankees Classic on YES and asked if this was OK.

New Year's Eve on Avenue A featuring Lucy and Ray

First a stop at Lucy's …





… and later to Ray's …





Thank you to Peter Brownscombe for these photos!

Lucy's will return on Dec. 10

Over at 135 Avenue A, Lucy if off for her customary holiday break... as you can see from the sign, the bar will be back open on Dec. 10.

And is Lucy's the only bar in the East Village with a VFW sticker on the front door?

In case you were going to Lucy's this weekend…

Meant to note this earlier in the week… Lucy is on a break until next Thursday here on Avenue A.

Frowny face.

Lucy's is back open, Hallelujah

Lucy's, one of our favorite bars, had been closed of late on Avenue A … likely on another customary break ... before Thanksgiving, we spotted a sign saying that the bar would be reopen on Dec. 6. But, as far as we know, that never happened… and the bar remained closed… including last weekend. (Who could blame her.) A reader spotted a sign on Dec. 13 saying closed, and instructing people to go next door to Doc Holliday's.

Still not open as of Wednesday. There was understandable concern.

Lucy's was closed last night. No "Be back in a week" sign. Please someone tell me this isn't the end (cc: @evgrieve)

— Christopher Robbins (@ChristRobbins) December 19, 2013

However, last night, Lucy was back… and it was really nice.

Lucy's is on a holiday break

Oh! Stopped by Lucy's the other late afternoon only to discover… she is on holiday until next Friday. And these signs really do need a smiley face.

Lucy's will return Aug. 12 or 13th

Or maybe Aug. 2 or 3. Hard to tell really. Anyway, time for the usual summer break here on Avenue A. No Smiley Face sign this time though. :(

Favorite East Village places: Lucy's

[Click image for a better view]

A glance inside 135 Avenue A.

Photo by EVG contributor Michael Sean Edwards.

Lucy's will return on Saturday

After a busy Saturday night this past weekend ... Lucy's on Avenue A is now on a holiday break until Nov. 24.