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Freddy's Bar to Reopen February 4th
By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 17, 2011
Modified Jan 17, 2011
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 17, 2011
Modified Jan 17, 2011
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The beloved old Prospect Heights dive Freddy's Bar & Backroom, a Prohibition-era bar that became an unofficial headquarters for the anti-Atlantic Yards protests, has announced that it will reopen on February 4th at its Brooklyn new location on 5th Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets. A few of Freddy’s former employees have taken the reins, and they declare that although it's not the old Freddy's, many items "did make the long journey from demolition to re-birth, including the original prohibition era red mahogany bar, the old booths and tables, and a few special items as well." They also tell us the bar is environmentally friendly:
The entire bar has been created almost exclusively out of re-cycled, found or hand made objects, with next to nothing being purchased “New,” Thus we are “Green.” We have been built by the community, thus we are for the community... The “Chains of Justice” will still grace our bar as a reminder of our fight against eminent domain abuse and the power of the community bond.
The decor is unique and vibrant, a mixture of old and new, antique Hollywood Regency chandeliers, steam punk accents, vintage wallpaper as well as handmade erotic wall-paper and permanent art installations from local art stars like Nancy Drew and Steve Pauley. The stamp of co-owner/artist Donald O'Finn is evident almost everywhere you look, from the fish tank sunk into a wall with giant albino frogs to the barn wood wall constructions and oversized gothic frame mounted to a flatscreen TV.
Sounds like quite a sight to behold. The opening night party, which kicks off at 5 p.m., will feature performances by faux-French pop stars Les Sans Culottes, Brute Force and "eclectic world roots band" The Magpie. Meanwhile, the WCBS helicopter got some aerial photos of the controversial Atlantic Yards project, where construction has begun on the Barclays Center. As you can see, it was all worth it.
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freddy's bar and backroom
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John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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