Washington Heights' Coogan's To Close After 35 Years, Owners Say

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — The fate feared by owners of popular Washington Heights bar Coogan's when the coronavirus pandemic forced them to close their doors last month has come to pass — the iconic watering hole will shutter for good.

Coogan's owners announced on their Facebook page on Monday that their bar and restaurant will not be reopening after the coronavirus pandemic, which forced New York City restaurants to switch to only takeout and delivery back in March. The Broadway restaurant had been open for 35 years.

"...This past March 17 would be the last time Coogan's closed its doors," owners Dave Hunt, Tess O’Connor McDade and Peter Walsh wrote. "We had hoped to open them again but sadly that is not possible."

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Like many New York City restaurants, Coogan's had worried about what the coronavirus-mandated closure would mean for their business.

The restaurant was preparing for its busiest time of year — St. Patrick's Day and the nearby Armory Track's track and field championships — when it learned it would need to close to dine-in customers. It tried switching to takeout and delivery, but ultimately stopped all operations March 20.

Walsh told Patch at the time that if the closure lasted too long, Coogan's would have no choice but to close for good.

"If this goes to a certain amount of time and it's too difficult to reopen we'll close forever," he said. "This emergency is so unique — this has never happened in our lives."

The bar asked Monday for customers to reach out to help their staff, who are now laid off, and to share stories and photos of the restaurant to help them give a "fond farewell" that mirrored its place as a pubic house in Washington Heights.

"What was made at Coogan's were warm relationships, easy smiles and hearty laughter," the owners wrote.

"If you came in a stranger, you immediately became a friend and left as an 'old timer.' We were able to share a full glass of love with a large plate of honesty in a neighborhood full of the most wonderful people you could ever hope to meet."

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