Owner of Neir’s Tavern Loycent Gordon was joined by Mayor Bill de Blasio and other elected officials at a lease signing Thursday (Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)
Oct. 30, 2020 By Allie Griffin
The owner of the historic Neir’s Tavern signed a five-year lease Thursday, securing its place for years to come after the 191-year-old bar nearly shuttered in January.
Owner Loycent Gordon signed the five-year lease agreement for the establishment at 87-48 78th St. with landlords Ken and Henry Shi.
The lease signing comes after the reported “oldest bar in New York City” almost closed down when Gordon and the landlords couldn’t come to an agreement over a new lease deal in January. Gordon had said he couldn’t afford the rent increase at the time.
The beloved bar was saved by a “handshake agreement” that same month when the Queens Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Bill de Blasio and other elected officials stepped in to help.
De Blasio, President of the Queens Chamber Thomas Grech, Council Member Robert Holden and Assembly Member Mike Miller all joined Gordon at the lease signing Thursday.
“Neir’s Tavern is here after almost 200 years,” de Blasio said. “Neir’s Tavern is here because of [Loycent], because of everyone who loves this place — you kept it going.”
The five-year lease agreement has an option to renew it for another five years when it is up.
The bar first opened in 1829 as the Blue Pump Room before being renamed Neir’s Tavern in 1898. It was featured in a few scenes from popular film “Goodfellas” and in an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown.”
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