Sunny's Bar Hits Fundraising Goal, Plans One More Event For Good Measure

RED HOOK, BROOKLYN — Sunny's, the Red Hook bar that has been a staple on the waterfront for more than 100 years, has hit a targeted fundraising goal needed to make a down payment and stave off a sale.

And just to be sure, the owners are planning one more benefit show in Gowanus; the "Sunny's Forever Celebration" will take place on June 21 at Littlefield.

The bar needed to raise $65,000 to stay in business, and a fundraising page set up showed total donations of $68,000 as of Monday morning.

After the death of long-time owner Sunny Balzano, 17 family members how have a stake in it wanted to sell it off. But Sunny's widow, Tone Balzano Johansen, wanted to keep the place in business.

She struck a deal to raise funds for the $65,000 down payment by July 31 or else the bar would be sold. It seems now, though, that won't be happening.

A Patch phone call to Sunny's on Monday was not answered. We'll update this story if we hear from them.

"I feel like I'm a steward of New York and Brooklyn culture," Johansen told Patch in April. "Somebody has to say, 'I’m tired of hearing about places like this closing.' Somebody has to say, 'Stop' and 'No,' and that’s what I’m doing. What is that culture? It is that you can go to a place where people know your name."

Image via Google Streetview