This past weekend, Bushwick’s diviest dive bar, Wreck Room made wrecks out of its patrons for the last time in long nine years. This institution of a bar closed due to a rent hike and problems with the landlord. Oh, how very New York of you, Wreck Room! The community of Bushwick however, didn’t let this event unnoticed, and several of you reached out to us sharing your stories and feelings of sadness. Emily Niland wrote in her (w)requiem last week: “I experienced a lot of Brooklyn firsts at Wreck Room. My first Brooklyn one night stand. My first Brooklyn black out. The first time I lost my driver’s license. After I celebrated my 25th birthday by shooting a gun for the first time at the West Side Pistol & Rifle Range, I rode the adrenaline wave over the river and straight to Wreck Room to continue the party. ”
Over the weekend, Nick McManus reached out to us and shared several wonderful group polaroid photos and feelings from the last Saturday night at Wreck Room. Nick writes:
“Between being a former bike messenger and an aging hipster I’ve seen Wreck Room in all its conceptions over the past nine years. I became acquainted with it when I saw bands in it’s pointlessly tropical stage in the back, defiled it with my two-wheeled urban assaulting co-workers over shots and deep-fried pickles and at it’s end enjoyed it for polishing screenplays in the quiet, early afternoons waiting for the rice-ball spot next door to open.
This year I’ve had the opportunity to become notable for my group photography on the new Impossible Project instant film. After doing a small number of shoots at disappearing landmarks such as Pearl Paint and East Village Radio I ended having to add a close one to my heart to the list. Ironically enough I actually had my follow up photo show after last month’s People Are The Most Special Effect. We’ve rescheduling for next month which will now unexpectedly feature the Wreck itself.
This week I started to get portraits whenever I could get over there and reunited with friends that came as far as Baltimore salute to the old guard. In these photos you’ll find the first two pm regulars tossing their last bull, a Little Caesars fueled group photo fifty heads deep, reunions of three married couples that met there, and the glass-strewn mob scene that got the boot at three am after some woman went ape-shit at the same time they ran outta beer.
After I jumped down from the bar I put my pictures in a water proof pouch and pulled my girlfriend behind the DJ booth where I bummed a cigarette off of it’s last spinner. I her tight as the crazy lady was pushed out the door face first by a bouncer who himself was being crushed by a bottle tossing crowd fleeing a dance floor that looked like bad parenting and bathroom that reeked of daddy issues. Thinking back to Rhett Butler and Scarlett o’Hara watching the Confederates march out of Atlanta I told her, Take a look my dear. This is a historic moment. You can tell your Grandchildren how you watched the Old Bushwick disappear in one night.”
The last delivery to Wreck Room.
Now Nick Manus reached out to us to share this last group photos and feelings from the last Saturday night at Wreck Room. Nick writes:
“Between being a former bike messenger and an aging hipster I’ve seen Wreck Room in all its conceptions over the past nine years. I became acquainted with it when I saw bands in it’s pointlessly tropical stage in the back, defiled it with my two-wheeled urban assaulting co-workers over shots and deep-fried pickles and at it’s end enjoyed it for polishing screenplays in the quiet, early afternoons waiting for the rice-ball spot next door to open.
This year I’ve had the opportunity to become notable for my group photography on the new Impossible Project instant film. After doing a small number of shoots at disappearing landmarks such as Pearl Paint and East Village Radio I ended having to add a close one to my heart to the list. Ironically enough I actually had my follow up photo show after last month’s People Are The Most Special Effect. We’ve rescheduling for next month which will now unexpectedly feature the Wreck itself.
This week I started to get portraits whenever I could get over there and reunited with friends that came as far as Baltimore salute to the old guard. In these photos you’ll find the first two pm regulars tossing their last bull, a Little Caesars fueled group photo fifty heads deep, reunions of three married couples that met there, and the glass-strewn mob scene that got the boot at three am after some woman went ape-shit at the same time they ran outta beer.
After I jumped down from the bar I put my pictures in a water proof pouch and pulled my girlfriend behind the DJ booth where I bummed a cigarette off of it’s last spinner. I her tight as the crazy lady was pushed out the door face first by a bouncer who himself was being crushed by a bottle tossing crowd fleeing a dance floor that looked like bad parenting and bathroom that reeked of daddy issues. Thinking back to Rhett Butler and Scarlett o’Hara watching the Confederates march out of Atlanta I told her, Take a look my dear. This is a historic moment. You can tell your Grandchildren how you watched the Old Bushwick disappear in one night.”
With long time bartender Chris Weary in center.
Stopping by before a wake service.
Troi with his first customers on the final day.
Celebrating the engagement of Jillian and Colin, center, first met at Wreck Room.
The arrival of Victoria and Joey, who are married with one baby boy and who also first met at here.
Wreck Room, you shall be missed….