The Cheapest Bar in Times Square Has Been Serving $5 Beers for 54 Years and Is Now Fighting Not to Close
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- Jimmy's Corner, a bar in New York's Times Square known for its affordable $5 beers and boxing memorabilia, faces closure due to an eviction lawsuit.
- The building owner, Durst Organization, claims the lease can be terminated following the death of the founder, Jimmy Glenn, in 2020, despite his son Adam Glenn continuing to manage the bar.
- Local politicians are rallying to support small businesses, advocating for rent stabilization legislation, while the owner argues they offered favorable terms and even a buyout to the bar.
In the heart of New York City's bustling Times Square, a beloved institution, Jimmy's Corner, is fighting for its survival. This iconic bar, a fixture since 1971, has long been a haven for boxing enthusiasts and a symbol of affordability in one of the world's most expensive locales, offering beers for a mere $5. Its walls are adorned with a rich tapestry of boxing history—photographs, posters, and memorabilia—curated over decades by its founder, Jimmy Glenn, a former boxer, trainer, and manager.
The iconic local, which managed to survive in one of the most expensive areas of New York, is now fighting to stay open.
The current struggle centers on a contentious interpretation of the lease agreement. The Durst Organization, the building's owner, asserts its right to terminate the lease following Jimmy Glenn's passing in 2020 due to COVID-19. His son, Adam Glenn, has taken the reins, but the legal battle over the property's future is ongoing. This situation highlights a broader issue facing small businesses in rapidly gentrifying urban centers: the constant threat of displacement by larger development interests.
Jimmy's Corner opened in 1971 and has remained in the same location ever since.
State legislators, including Senator Julia Salazar, have voiced their support, framing Jimmy's Corner's plight as emblematic of a larger trend where "small businesses are being pushed out of the city." They are championing the Small Business Rent Stabilization Act, a legislative effort aimed at curbing excessive rent hikes and ensuring lease renewals for businesses that are not in debt. While Adam Glenn acknowledges that this legislation might not directly resolve his case, he sees its potential to safeguard other small enterprises.
The conflict arose from the interpretation of the lease agreement.
The Durst Organization, through its spokesperson Jovana Rizzo, has stated its intention to sell the property to a real estate developer, expressing regret over the situation. They claim to have maintained favorable lease terms for years, even offering a significant sum for the bar to vacate the premises. However, long-time patrons, like Melvin Jones, emphasize the bar's unique role in fostering a diverse community, where people from all walks of life converge. The potential closure of Jimmy's Corner represents not just the loss of a bar, but the erosion of a community space and a piece of New York's cultural heritage.
Small businesses are being pushed out of the city.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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