Mayor Promises To Help Save Historic Neir's Tavern From Rent Hike

NEW YORK CITY — The owner of one of nation's oldest bars — which rent hikes will force to close Sunday — called into "The Brian Lehrer Show" to plead with Mayor Bill de Blasio for help.

"It's just so sad," said Loy Gordon, owner of the 190-year-old Neir's Tavern in Woodhaven, Queens. "I'm fighting these greedy landlords cause he wants like two-and-half times more rent and we can't just do it."

"The original sin so often is a greedy landlord," de Blasio replied. "It drives me crazy, I think it's really disrespectful."

Neir's Tavern will serve its last round at 87-48 78th St. Sunday after the landlord demanded $5,400-a-month in rent, which is more than double the rent Gordon has paid up until now, Eater reported Thursday.

Update: A rally to support the historic tavern is slated to take place 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11.

Gordon tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with his landlord and earn protected status from the Landmarks Preservation Commission, but ultimately decided to close so he could pay his staff full wages until the very end, he said Friday.

"I ran out of money," Gordon told Mayor de Blasio. "What powers can you use to help us?"

De Blasio promised to connect Gordon with Small Business Services commissioner Gregg Bishop to try and offer the landlord legal services, loans and fine reduction programs that might dissuade him from raising the rent.

"I would think there's a lot we could do," de Blasio said. "I would ask you to just hang in there."

Gordon later told Patch that the conversation with de Blasio was encouraging and welcome after 11 years of trying to keep his business going.

"To be able to talk to him and him being so enamored really gave me a sense of maybe there's some hope," Gordon said.

Neir's Tavern opened as as the Old Blue Pump House in 1829. Neir’s is where film star Mae West first performed, where actor W.C. Fields came to drink and where Martin Scorsese shot scenes from "Goodfellas," according to the bar's website.

Anthony Bourdain visited Neir's in 2017 for his show "Parts Unknown," and Gordon told the late celebrity chef, "It's the most famous place you've never heard of."

Patch reached out to the Nightlife Office and the Small Business Services press representative for more information and will update this story if and when we hear back.

Gordon said he has no special plans for Sunday, the last day in business will be business as usual.

"We're just focused on doing whatever we can," said Gordon. " And praying for a miracle."

Correction: The original version of this story mistakenly reported Gordon sought protected status from the City Planning Commission.