168 Avenue B NY NY 10009 • Noon-4am
Not much to put here since, well, we apparently missed August altogether. Hey, we went and worked for Burning Man makin’ signs for a couple weeks. Went to Coney. Went to the Hamptons. Went for a Pirate Sail. And had a RECORD SETTING AUGUST! All without posting any news. Oops!
June was a whirlwind of birthdays and bon voyages, our second anniversary extravaganza and loads of other celebrations. And Lucky LOVES summer! We're right in the thick of it now, whipping up dozens of frozen drinks and packing our beautiful garden with revelers. As we enter the "dog days" and the city seems empty, we're happy to save you a barstool. Enjoy our eclectic jukebox, experience the glory of NO TVs and take advantage of the company of smart, interesting regulars. We're looking forward to meeting you!
Lucky is celebrating their second year in business. And we couldn't have done it without YOU! The space has gradually transformed from a blank (early on, VERY blank!) canvas to a lived-in, well-loved home away from home for so many wonderful humans. It has hosted birthdays and wedding receptions, book parties and protest meetings, and celebrated ALL the holidays! We've carved pumpkins and watermelons, sketched eggs and trees and sexy women who were bound and gagged. We've weathered blizzards and heatwaves, economic shakeups and election results. And it has all been GLORIOUS!
There's been a bit of debate about when our first "official" day was. In June 0f 2016, we weren't yet "official" but we were hosting events behind butcher paper. In photos, it appears that we had a few "official" days: When the Liquor License came in the mail. When we took in the first dollar. Or it may have been when the cash register first went "ka-ching!" Facebook's "memories" tell us our first "officially unofficial" day was June 29. And then, of course, we had our "Grand Opening" all the way in September, when the beer taps were up and Manhattan was back from vacation. When you look at the photos below, you'll see just how bare bones we were in those first few weeks!
On a personal level, it has been a rollercoaster ride AND an exhausting 730 days of lessons learned. I've worked harder than I have in my entire life and experienced a deeper sense of gratification than I ever believed possible. Some salient points I'd love to mention:
• The only difference between people who are doing shit and people who aren't is that the people doing shit are doing shit. Which means: we aren't any smarter, didn't have any special lessons, didn't receive any advanced degrees. Which leads me to:
• Without having ever run a bar or a business, I bumbled into this with little more than faith -- and a business loan arranged by my sister. My grand sum total of years working behind a bar was maybe four or four-and-a-half years. I had no idea what I was doing or what would happen. But my intention was to create community. I am shocked by how close to the original vision things have turned out. For that, I have to thank my trustworthy, capable staff and my loyal, passionate cast of regulars. It literally took a village. And continues to!
• I've found it amusing how people view me. Even family members have quipped, "Well, you don't need to make money, so you can do whatever you want." This particular comment was in regard to my encouraging one sort of customer and discouraging another sort. (To varying degrees of success...) But the underlying belief is completely untrue. I actually DO need to make money. Sure, if I failed completely, I wouldn't be out on the street. But my family isn't funding Lucky as some sort of vanity project. It's a business and must be profitable. I am beyond proud to say that I've been "in the black" since the day we took down the butcher paper. Every month sees an increase in revenue. I attribute this mostly to my fairly low overhead (as well as my staff and my regulars, as noted above) but will take credit for cultivating my vision. I continue to repay the loan that allowed me to start the business. And I continue to bumble along with little more than faith! Cheers to never giving up on your dreams!
A "before" photo looking toward the front of the bar. Photo by Stacie Joy
A "before" photo taken from the front door, looking toward the back. Photo by Stacie Joy
The left/south wall post demolition. Check out that floor!
The right/north wall, after the corrugated metal was removed.
Yes. The previous toilet...
...and the previous sink.
A somewhat cluttered shot of the back yard -- and Nick! -- but you can see the old walls and overhang type arrangement.
A group shot on my birthday, May 27 2016. Note no bar, no backbar, not much of anything except FRIENDS! And Joan!
A shot of the "bar" looking toward the back at Not That Dave's book party. Super classy red plastic tablecloth, no back bar, no beer taps.
A "mid-way through the process" shot of the bar: no mirrors, no beer taps and no glossy finish...yet.
And finally, me behind the bar on the "official" opening day in September 2016.