The Blarney Cove sign is down! The Blarney Cove sign is down!

[June 2013]

Just yesterday we pointed out that the sidewalk bridge arrived ahead of the demolition of the single-level buildings along East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

We wondered what would/will become of the Blarney Cove sign... The neighborhood bar closed for good last June to make way for the new retail-residential complex.

And, OMG, here it is yesterday afternoon just lying there on the sidewalk, apparently discarded by construction workers ...



… and a short time later… Little Town Shoes sent along these photos…



…gutted and tagged!



But that's not how this story ends.

EVG regular Dave on 7th happened to be walking by yesterday afternoon… and he saw the sign still intact on the building. He asked the workers if they would take it down for him.

They did.

From there it wasn't easy to remove the two sides of the Barney Cove Bar sign from the frame. First, there were a million rusty screws. Then there was the matter of navigating two 7-foot by 2-foot (!) pieces of Blarney Cove sign home.

Along the way, someone offered Dave on 7th $200 for the signs. He declined.

Eventually, one of the signs split it two. But! As of this moment, the two signs (now in three pieces) are in good hands. Repeat, the two signs (now in three pieces) are in good hands.

"I wish I could have left the whole thing intact, but that just wasn't in the cards," said Dave on 7th, who has the signs in his building. "I started to wipe the dust off the back, and it turns out that's what made it white. Either super old paint or a fluorescent powder to make it glow brighter.

"Man, I worked my ass off taking it apart."

Now if we can only find the Blarney Cove cooling and refreshening system…


[Photo from May 2011 by the long-lost (sob) Intern of EV Grieve]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Here is the future of East 14th Street and Avenue A: 7 stories of residential and retail

City OKs permits to demolish the empty storefronts along this section of East 14th Street

The Blarney Cove closes for good after tomorrow night

Remembering good times and dead bodies at The Blarney Cove

[June 2013]

The Paris Review has an essay by Joe Kloc on the late, great Blarney Cove on East 14th Street…

Tommy, another regular, recounted an oft-told Blarney Cove legend. One evening, he said, a regular was sitting alone at the end of the bar, minding his business, enjoying his $1.50 mugs of beer with all the usual contentment of an old drinker on a young night. Suddenly, but without fuss, the man set down his mug, shut his eyes, slumped forward, and died right there in his chair. “They put him in the freezer,” Tommy said. And the next day his body was gone.

Read the whole piece here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Here is the future of East 14th Street and Avenue A: 7 stories of residential and retail

City OKs permits to demolish the empty storefronts along this section of East 14th Street

The Blarney Cove closes for good after tomorrow night

The Blarney Cove sign is down! The Blarney Cove sign is down!

Here lies the Blarney Cove

While we're on the topic of bars that we used to like … we were walking on East 14th Street just east of Avenue A on Friday … and noticed that the ongoing demolition here has now claimed the former Blarney Cove space.

[Moment of silence]

The Blarney Cove closed for good in June 2013. But we got the sign.

Given the water on the site, perhaps we can call it The Blarney Cove. Or The Blarney Cove Cove.

As you know oh so well, many of the businesses on East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B either relocated or closed to make way for two, 7-floor retail-residential buildings.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New 7-floor buildings for East 14th Street include 150 residential units

'Let's plan those blarney blow out parties'

[EVG from 2008]

As noted Monday, the Blarney Cove on East 14th Street is closing for good at the end of the month. I found the above photo in this EVG post from 2008 ... when the bar was apparently trying to broaden its demographics...

Meanwhile, I learned yesterday that the Blarney Cove has a — Facebook page ... where they posted this message Monday...

Yes-the blarney cove is closing it's doors on June 30th. the property has been leased to another company. the stretch of land on 14th street where the blarney resides will be forever changed. so -get you ass in so I can see you again & say goodbye.and that means during the week, tuesday and wednesday.-not just the weekend. let's plan those blarney blow out parties

And this is the current Blarney Cove profile photo...



Previously on EV Grieve:
East 14th Street exodus continues

The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street

[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

The Blarney Cove will close for good at the end of June

CB3 says no to monster bar on Avenue B; plus, good news for Blarney Cove fans

Speaking of bars... last night, Community Board 3 passed the docket from the Sept. 20 subcommittee meeting ... (The one item that we reported on from that meeting: No liquor license for Table 12 on Avenue A and 12th Street.)

A few items of note:

• Justified LLC, 102 1st Ave (alt/op/extend to backyard):

As we reported, the International Bar crew, Molly and Shawn, are taking over the Lilly Coogan's space down the way. CB3 approved the use of the backyard for seating. However, as part of the conditions, they must close the outdoor space by 10 every night — including any time needed for clean-up.

• Corp to be Formed, 14 Ave B (trans/op) (Butterfly Butterfly)

This is the newly ginormous space on the southwest corner of Second Street. The owners wanted to open a "restaurant tavern" ...with hours of operation from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Wednesday; from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. Thursday and Fridays; and Noon 'till 4 a.m. on Saturdays. And! They'd employ DJs Friday and Saturday nights.

History didn't help this space. Remember Butterfly? According to CB3, they had a history of citations for unlicensed security, unlicensed cabaret, unlicensed sidewalk cafe (was anything licensed?). You get the idea. The owner of the new space, in the eyes of CB3, has "failed to demonstrate that he has sufficient experience to operate a restaurant-bar of this size in this area or addressing any of the prevailing noise or traffic concerns." Plus! He was unwilling to close earlier than 2 a.m.

REJECT.

• Blarney Cove (510 E 14th Pub Inc), 510 E 14th St (op)

Remember the hyperlocal East Village blogger who nearly shit the bed about what might be happening with this? Fool!

This is a transfer from the Blarney Cove's now-deceased owner to his daughter-in-law. According to the CB3, the Blarney Cove will continue its current method of operation and retain its name.

OK!

The Blarney Cove will close for good at the end of June

Well, we knew this one was coming. As we've been noting, many businesses on East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B are either relocating or closing to make way for some yet-unspecified development.

Bartenders at the Blarney Cove are now telling patrons that they will close at the end of the month. It's not relocating. (How could this ever be replicated elsewhere anyway?)

It Was Her New York wrote about the Blarney Cove and this stretch of East 14th Street yesterday.

[T]he further east we got the worse things look. It was like Close Encounters of the Third Kind when Richard Dreyfuss slips into the restricted area and all these dead cows are lying around.

Every store was empty with 'For Rent' or 'Going Out Of Business'. The cheap place was gone. 40 years of buying necessary and unnecessary affordable shit, gone.

Previously on EV Grieve:
East 14th Street exodus continues

The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street

[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

Bargain Express has closed on East 14th Street

The Blarney Cove closes for good after tomorrow night

Tomorrow is the last day for the Blarney Cove on East 14th Street ... they moved the closing date up by one day. So that's that.

As we've been noting, many businesses on East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B are either relocating or closing to make way for some yet-unspecified development.

Previously on EV Grieve:
East 14th Street exodus continues

The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street

[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

Bargain Express has closed on East 14th Street

The Blarney Cove will close for good at the end of June

My 3 favorite photos of the Blarney Cove

Well, just from the EVG site the past few years... As noted, the Blarney Cove closes for good tonight... many businesses on East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B are either relocating or closing to make way for some yet-unspecified development.

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Thanksgiving 2011...

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Start of the summer 2011...

[Photo by the long-lost Intern of EV Grieve]

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Easter 2009...


Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

The Blarney Cove will close for good at the end of June

This morning outside the Blarney Cove

Wasn't sure what to expect walking by after last night's Grand Closing send off... The bar is still standing — at least from the outside.

Someone did remove the Blarney Cove sign that was attached above the door...



Anyone go for the last night?

Many businesses on East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B are either relocating or closing to make way for some yet-unspecified development.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

The Blarney Cove will close for good at the end of June

A Blarney Cove moment on its last night in business

[Tuesday night via @willcharczuk]

A reader shared this in the comments about the last night of the Blarney Cove on East 14th Street:

Went with some friends [Tuesday] night around 10PM. Ordered a few pitchers and was told "no more draft beer." Ordered bottles. They said all we have is Bud. After a few of those we were told no more beer, so we switched to whiskey and wine. After that we just decided to buy a six pack from the deli around the corner and bring it back in.

So all in all, a pretty standard blarney cove night.

Yes.

There won't be any skating on Extell Lake this winter : (

[Photo Monday by Michael Paul]

Early last week, a resident who lives near the dual Extell buildings under construction on East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B noted the arrival of generators that are running 24/7.

The resident tried the community email address that's posted on the East 14th Street field office, but it bounced back.

Anyway, a resident spoke with a supervisor type at the site about the generators. Turns out they power pumps that keep the water levels down at the site.

Water Levels = Extell Lake!


[December 2014]

... and a photo of The Blarney Cove Cove from July 2014...



Anyway, the pumping will likely mean there won't be any skating this winter on Extell Lake, an alternative to The Ice at Stuy Town and the East River (remember?) ...


[EVG reader submitted from January]

Also, the Extell community email address still doesn't work, as we learned yesterday...



Previously on EV Grieve:
The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street

[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

New 7-floor buildings for East 14th Street include 150 residential units

1st activity at 500 E. 14th St. since the demolition phase, and when the standing water froze

Community meeting tonight to address construction noise at Extell's East 14th Street development sites

Here lies the Blarney Cove

No one is taking advantage of the line-free skating at Extell Lake

A question about Extell construction noise on East 14th Street

A touch of Blarney

Not sure what to make of the stickers for EV Grieve favorite the Blarney Cove being plastered around the neighborhood. The "I love to party" message seems awfully fraternityish for the Blarney Cove. (ED note: Duh.) Unless they're trying to drum up some more business. Which I understand. That stretch on 14th Street between A and B is up for grabs in spots. Still.

Demolition commences along East 14th Street

[EVG file photo from March 12]

Workers began erecting the sidewalk shed along the doomed section of East 14th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B on March 12.

And the single-level buildings have been sitting there ready for rubble ever since.

Until yesterday, when the demo crew finally arrived and started taking apart 532 E. 14th St. (the former ABC Animal Hospital, now located at 200 Avenue A)… as these photos by Michael Paul show …





Incoming: Two, 7-floor retail-residential buildings featuring 150 residential units in nearly 189,000 square feet of space.

By the way, in case you missed this post during the Great EVG Blackout of March 14 … Here's a reminder that the Blarney Cove sign is in good hands.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The disappearing storefronts of East 14th Street

[Updated with correction] 8-lot parcel of East 14th Street primed for new development

Sidewalk bridge arrives for start of demolition on East 14th Street; last chance for Blarney Cove sign

New 7-floor buildings for East 14th Street include 150 residential units

Blarney Cove survives the fire

And who knew that the Blarney Cove had a Twitter account? @blarneycove

East Village in images, 2014 (Part 1)

January

Hawk shenanigans


[Photo by Goggla]

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Saving Jerry's Newsstand


[Photo by Jeremiah Moss]

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Rabbit season at the Death Star



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So long 7A



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At Hanksy's 'Surplus Candy' art show in an abandoned East Village tenement



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Polar vortex!


[Photo by Rob & Mike]

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In the fog


[Photo by Grant Shaffer]

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February

A makeshift memorial on 2nd Avenue for those who died during the uprising in Ukraine


[Photo by Dan Efram]

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So long Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch


[Photo by Bobby Williams]

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Slushathon!


[Photo by Gudrun Georges]

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RIP



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Hey, it's winter


[Photo by Derek Berg]

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March

The Blarney Cove sign is down! The Blarney Cove sign is down!



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Steamed


[Second Avenue and East 13th Street by Grant Shaffer]

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April

Car slams into Saifee Hardware


[Photo by @wlodarczyk]

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The "Heroines of the Lower East Side"



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Sunset now


[Photo by Bobby Williams]

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Ugh


[Photo by William Klayer]

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Citi Bike bath


[Photo by Derek Berg]

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Noted


[Photo by Dave from 2nd Ave.]


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May

Manhattanhenge


[East 14th Street photo by Pinch]

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In the rain


[Photo by Michael Sean Edwards]

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East Houston pipe break action


[Photo by @maraaltman]

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When lightning strikes


[Photo by James and Karla Murray]

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Giuseppi Logan, now with a flute



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Murder suspect arrested


[Photo by Frank Franca]

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Mother's Day on Avenue A


[Photo by Jeremiah Moss]

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An evening with Alan Cumming at Theatre 80


[Photo by Stacie Joy]

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Another 'riot' in Tompkins Square Park, this time for the cameras


[Photo by Michael Donovan]

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June

Rainbows...


[Photo by Rob and Mike]

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Hello and goodbye to the Cadillac with the Tiger in it



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Those baby hawks


[Photo by Francois Portmann]

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And subsequent baby hawk rescue


[Photo by Bobby Williams]

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At the annual NYC Drag March


[Photo by editrrix]

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An East Seventh Street street scene


[Photo Derek Berg]