Ex-Siberia Owner Opens New Bar in Prospect Heights
Word comes in from Brooklyn the Borough of a new bar in Prospect Heights that is by the former owner of Siberia, Tracy Westmoreland. It is to be called Manhattans and opens at 769 Washington Ave.
While the article does mention Siberia, it doesn't mention Tracy's bar that he owned before that, which was one of my favorites of all time: KGB. It was located in the 50th Street station on the IRT. You had to actually be in the subway station to get into the bar. It was glorious and one of the greatest dives in the city. When it went tits up, forced out by the MTA, it was alleged that Jimmy Fallon (and my pal Luke) helped Tracy move to Siberia Bar. I think he named the new place Siberia because of the Soviet connection to his old place, which legend had it was a dead drop for Russian spies.
I never fell in love with Siberia Bar, like so many others did. I preferred the much cooler and way more friendly Bellevue Bar, which was around the corner. When Jimmy Duff ran Bellevue Bar, it was heaven. It had the best vibe, best music, and most incredible bartenders. It was always a freakshow. Jimmy moved to Brooklyn five years ago and opened Duff's, and I believe Tracy was a part-owner of the old Bellevue, which folded soon after Jimmy went across the river. Now Tracy has followed Jimmy to Brooklyn.
So now there is a "new" Siberia, located in Brooklyn. will it take off?
[UPDATE: New York Observer has an interview too]
“Hipsters call the city the Manhattans, the name grew out of Brooklyn,” he said over the phone two days before unveiling the new saloon. “Hopefully when enough people know the bar, when they’re making plans to go out, they’ll say, ‘Wait, are we going to the city, or are we going to Tracy’s bar?’ It’s a perfect circle.”
While the article does mention Siberia, it doesn't mention Tracy's bar that he owned before that, which was one of my favorites of all time: KGB. It was located in the 50th Street station on the IRT. You had to actually be in the subway station to get into the bar. It was glorious and one of the greatest dives in the city. When it went tits up, forced out by the MTA, it was alleged that Jimmy Fallon (and my pal Luke) helped Tracy move to Siberia Bar. I think he named the new place Siberia because of the Soviet connection to his old place, which legend had it was a dead drop for Russian spies.
I never fell in love with Siberia Bar, like so many others did. I preferred the much cooler and way more friendly Bellevue Bar, which was around the corner. When Jimmy Duff ran Bellevue Bar, it was heaven. It had the best vibe, best music, and most incredible bartenders. It was always a freakshow. Jimmy moved to Brooklyn five years ago and opened Duff's, and I believe Tracy was a part-owner of the old Bellevue, which folded soon after Jimmy went across the river. Now Tracy has followed Jimmy to Brooklyn.
So now there is a "new" Siberia, located in Brooklyn. will it take off?
[UPDATE: New York Observer has an interview too]
| By Kevin Fitzpatrick | Permalink 
