Freddy’s Bar is rising from the ashes.
The bar, which was demolished to make way for the Atlantic Yards project and was a central meeting place in the battle against eminent domain abuse, is set to reopen on Friday, February 4th.
Clear your calendar, folks. This is going to be a raucous good time. The fun starts at 5PM and the bar will stay open until 4AM! The new owners want you to know that the entire bar has been created almost exclusively out of re-cycled, found or hand made objects, with next to nothing being purchased “New,”
“The creation of this bar is owed to the hard work of the new owners (all previous staff members), and especially to the generous efforts of other staff members and many a bar regular, who all pitched in,” the new owners write in a press release.
The new Freddy’s, located in the South Park Slope at 5th Ave between 17th and 18th Street, is just one block from the Prospect stop on the R train, and 8 blocks from the 4th Ave and 9th Street stop on multiple trains.
Many items from the old Freddy’s have been transported to the new, including the original prohibition era red mahogany bar and the old booths and tables. The “Chains of Justice” will still grace the bar as a reminder of their fight against eminent domain abuse and the power of the community bond.
Also on display: The video art of Donald O’Finn will still be prominently featured. According to the press release, “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.”
They’ve got lots planned for the opening. Les Sans Culottes are the headliners and they will go on at midnight. Opening acts include Apple recording artist Brute Force and eclectic world roots band The Magpie kicking things off.
Also on display, an exhibition of glitter and flock paintings by NYC artist Nancy Drew.