Gotham City Lounge, the comic book and superhero themed bar, hidden away in Bushwick under the tracks of the M train, had their closure and final party last week after 15 years of business.
Two weeks ago, the bar posted a goodbye on Instagram: “FRIDAY the 12th join us for our closing party!!!! After 15 great years we will be closing to the public. We would like to thank all our regulars for the memories ?Hope to see some of yall next weekend!!!!! And if you really miss us dont forget you can host your next private event with us. Any questions DM us for info.”
“I loved everybody here, but it’s time for me to move on,” said Ray Torrelles, the owner of the bar. “It’s my pool-league players that will really miss this place.”
Lee Trice, a local artist, who brought a parody “Star Bong” action figure by fellow NYC artist SUCKLORD, said “Ray is the man and he has a dope ol’ school Cadillac that he would park out front. When I heard Gotham was closing I totally had to bless him with the Star Bong.”
“I’m gonna really miss the two and three dollar cans,” said local musician Henry Rushmore. “Nobody here has a lot of cash and it was nice to have this place ’cause the booze in this neighborhood is getting expensive.”
Many will miss the giant mural of Batman outside and fun themed mixed drinks like the Green Lantern and the ol’ reliable $4 PBR-and–whiskey-shot combos.
“The place was a museum to the art of comics and had everything from the issues to the actions figures—both miniature and life size—to original hero renditions adorning the walls,” said Nick McManus, photographer of the bar’s final night. “To be invited by artist Lee Trice, to see the art of other people, was a reminder about what brought us to Bushwick in the first place.”
Known as a safe place for nerds and locals to geek out over the bar’s deep collection of superhero memorabilia and play a game of pool, the local watering hole will be missed.
All images courtesy of Nick McManus.
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