At the newly opened Myrtle Pub located at 56-53 Myrtle Ave., the motto is “Cheap Ass Drinks, All The Time.” With a $5 beer and shot combo, a 2-for-1 happy hour every day until 8 p.m. and $2 Rolling Rock cans, Myrtle Pub provides the neighborhood with an affordable, welcoming space at the corner of a busy intersection.
“I mean that just came out of a conversation with my business partners really,” co-owner Casey Spindler told Bushwick Daily. “We were like, ‘well what do we want to do?’ And it just kind of came out of somebody’s mouth, ‘cheap-ass drinks, all the time.’”
For Nick Salek, co-owner, manager and bartender of the bar, the prices are nostalgic of the $2 Rheingolds that were available when he first moved to New York two decades ago. “I love the idea that you put 3 dollars down and everything is taken care of,” Salek said. “We’re your local spot, unpretentious. We just want to be a place where anyone can come feel welcomed and relaxed.”
Myrtle Pub also has rotating drafts, local craft cans, specialty cocktails, sangria and housemade infusions. Free hot dogs and popcorn are available anytime!
The bar has booths along the wall, windows for people-watching, and a horseshoe-shaped counter that, as mentioned by Spindler, makes it easier for the bartenders to connect people from one side of the bar to the other. “You can draw people into the conversation in that kind of way,” he said.
Myrtle Pub has become a personal extension of all the people involved with the space. Decorations include stringed lights, a fish caught by Spindler and paintings by local Ridgewood artists.
However, the flooring has remained of the failed Subway restaurant franchise that used to be at the location and, according to Spindler, everything from the color choice of the vinyl and decor stemmed from the floor pattern.
Though the business partners own several other bars in Ridgewood and Bushwick, including The Evergreen and Fine Time, they remain very “hands-on” by deciding their locations based on who is there to take care of the business.
“I had been living here for 6 years. I love it out here. There weren’t a ton of bars when I moved here. There were like maybe 3 or 4 that I would spend time at, got to know a lot of people,” said Salek who bartends at Myrtle Pub every Wednesday. “A lot of people are still moving here, younger people, and I really like the direction that it’s going in, a lot of different types of people.”
According to Spindler, if there’s something that runs in common in all the bars the business partners own, it’s the element of comfort. “I want people to feel comfortable while they’re there and so, everything about the place is in the name of making that happen. From the team to the decor, the layout, that’s how I like to feel when I go to a bar,” said Spindler.
Spindler and Salek were bartenders under the wing of fellow business partner Jacob Rabinowitz for several years of experience before they were co-owners.
“Jacob has always told me that a bar is a face-to-face business. It’s one customer at a time, you know. It really is walking around and introducing yourself to people, and giving everyone a chance to interact and meet each other. So, in a very broad way, what he’s talking about is community,” said Spindler.
“I hope you would have a consistent experience here on any night,” said Salek. “Just come on by. We’re always here. We’re open everyday.”
Though nothing is concrete at the moment, Salek and Spindler are looking into having DJs play at the bar, but, according to Salek, “it would be more chill like someone’s hanging out playing records” to fit with the vibe of the space.
You can stop by Myrtle Pub for a drink and some free food everyday from 5 p.m. to 4 a.m. To keep up with the bar as new menu options are unveiled — Salek mentioned the possibility of adding a vegan hotdog to the menu sometime soon — you can follow its Instagram page, managed by Spindler.
Images provided by Allie Herrera unless otherwise specified. Feature image provided by Casey Spindler.
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