By Joy Bergmann
Bring on the brews. On Wednesday evening, Gebhard’s Beer Culture advanced another step toward opening a craft beer pub and restaurant at 228 West 72nd, following unanimous approval by Community Board 7’s Business & Consumer Issues Committee. The restaurant still needs final approval from the State Liquor Authority, which tends to heed the will of the community board.
Proprietor Matthew Gebhard told the Committee that he expects to deploy a similar strategy on 72nd Street as he used at his current operation, Beer Culture, in Hell’s Kitchen. Gebhard plans to serve 250 beers in bottles, 16 craft-beer drafts, select craft whiskeys, a full menu until 11 p.m. and a late-night menu until closing. “We want to be an authority in New York for craft beer,” he said. “We get a clientele that knows what it’s looking for.”
The proposed location has been empty since Mike’s Bistro closed over a year ago. After renovations and upgrades, Gebhard hopes to open the 100-guest-capacity pub in late spring.
Emily Nesler, who lives directly above the space, asked for clarification about sound, security and smoking policies. Gebhard responded that soundproofing is a priority and something to be addressed during renovations in collaboration with neighboring residents. He said signs would be posted urging smokers to step away from the building and not allowing smoking near the vestibule. And a security camera and alarm would be installed at the second-floor emergency exit.
Committee Co-Chair George Zeppenfeldt-Cestero asked for several stipulations before granting approval for Gebhard’s application to be heard before the full CB7 at its January 5th meeting. Gebhard agreed to change operating hours during a probationary six-month period to 11:30am until 2:00am instead of a 4:00am closing on Fridays and Saturdays.
According to their web sites, the nearby Emerald Inn at 250 West 72nd serves food and liquor until 4:00am daily and Sugar Bar at 254 West 72nd serves until 1:00am Thursdays through Saturdays.
Is there some advantage for this neighborhood in having 3 bars on the same block? When I moved here the noise and dirt emanating from Mike’s (vents all the way up to the 4th floor) was so horrible that I was planning to move out when my lease was up. It was only after they closed that I had a year of peace and quiet. Definitely planning to move back to the east side. 🙁
They have bars on the Eastside too.
I lived in Yorkville for 30+ years and moved when the 2nd Avenue subway construction got closer to the neighborhood. I know the avenues are hot spots for nightlife, but there are no bars on the side streets, just nice and quiet and family oriented. I thought I’d try something new but this area just isn’t for me. I’m tired of fighting for my rights as a tenant here…nothing but problems since I moved in. Building falling apart, neighbors partying on the roof, I’ve been hit by bicyclists twice, physically accosted by homeless people, and threatened by teens at the subway. Maybe I’m just too old to be living here. 😉
Our side streets are quiet too. W72nd St. is both a residential and commercial street. It will never be quiet.
I am looking forward to trying some of their craft beers. Nice addition to the neighborhood.
Delicious! Wish them well with this pub and look forward to tasting a tall cold one this summer. Seems like the owner is conscientious.
Great addition to the neighborhood
Hopefully the owner will pay as much attention to the food as the beer. If so, will be a wonderful addition to W 72nd St which is in desperate need of a high quality restaurant
Can’t wait! I feel we’re still losing more bars and restaurants than we’re getting, but this certainly helps. Count me in!
I have mixed feelings about this. Yes it’s good to have more restaurants in the neighborhood, but isn’t this really a bar serving food? How many people who are looking forward to Beer Culture live on this block? In addition to the two bars already mentioned there are also two bars on the opposite side of Broadway. There aren’t enough places to go already?
In my opinion BC is going to draw a college crowd into the area, and we already have a problem with noise in the interior courtyard, and this will bring more noise and congestion to the street side of the building(s) as well. I don’t understand the point of moving the smokers away from the vestibule and out on to the sidewalk, which means customers will be congregating in front of the building until 4:00 a.m.
I really feel for the person mentioned in the article who lives directly over the establishment.
That block is the kiss of death for restaurants.
You’re right, I only know of the diner on the corner and 2 delis and one place across the street that I haven’t been to because it’s always packed with families on the weekend. Do you think Beer Culture will be a success as a bar though?
“In my opinion BC is going to draw a college crowd into the area”
Have you ever been to Beer Culture in Hell’s Kitchen or are you just generalizing based on your name and knee-jerk NIMBYism? This ain’t a college crowd place, and some good beer is much needed in an increasingly bland neighborhood.
If they called it Landline, all the seniors would go.
Agree with VLM. The BC in HK has a mellow crowd – anything’s possible, but I don’t think you’ll see this place become Jake’s Dilemma.
Beer Culture is great.