Mike Manjon left his bartending job at Beacon Bar, located at 2130 Broadway between 74th and 75th Streets, on March 14th, and has not been back since. News that the bar will not be reopening came in the form of a letter from the Assistant General Manager in mid-June. This news was understandably upsetting, and there hasn’t been any communication since.
“Who knows what happens behind closed doors. The owners never reached out to us at all. Even after they’ve decided to shut us down. They haven’t talked to us, apologized or said anything like, ‘We’re sorry that we’re closing’!” says Mike.
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Prior to COVID shutting the bar down, they had already reduced the schedule to only five nights a week, instead of seven. They were closed on Sunday and Monday nights.
“So, technically we closed Sunday and Monday, then we were mandated to close. I had my last day without even knowing that we were going to close and not go back. I have not been back there since, even though I have a locker there,” Mike said.
Employees at the Beacon Bar are part of a union and are waiting to hear what their severance packages will look like. The way Mike explains it, there are “two kinds of severance options. One is a simple severance which says that if they ever tried to open up another food and beverage outlet in that space, they would have to hire us all back.” He explained that this option does not offer much, if any compensation, though.
Mike explained how places like the Plaza have used this type of severance and have been closed for many years now, because if they ever opened up a restaurant in that space again, they would have to hire back union workers.
The other option is an expanded severance package, which is a higher pay out, but essentially frees the company up to use the space without rehiring employees. Mike is not sure how things will work out, but says “my thinking is if they don’t have an amenity like a bar or restaurant, they will lose a star.”
Mike believes that it would cost them a lot of business not having a food and beverage outlet as part of the hotel. “So, expanded severance would basically buy us all out. And then, if they wanted to lease that space to Tao Group, or any restaurant group, they could do that and they wouldn’t be obligated to bring us back on staff. That’s basically what we’re negotiating now,” Mike said.
Mike tells us he’s really going to miss his regular customers and looks forward to staying in touch with many of them. It didn’t feel like a typical hotel bar to him, and he was proud of the family he built.
“Just on a personal note, that place was a piece of me. I worked in many bars and restaurants, but I worked at this place because I wanted to. I have another job, but I preferred working behind the bar because it’s something that I love. The Beacon Bar was very special to me. It wasn’t about the money. For me, it was always about building that community that I built from scratch. I’m very proud of what I did there. Dealing with people from all over the world who were very transient and would just come in for a day or two, to regulars I saw every day. I can’t even go into the Fairway with without seeing 20 people that are like ‘hey Mike!’, so I’m going to miss that.”
Calls and emails to the owners have not been returned.
This is an unfortunate development for the neighborhood – furthermore it seems as though a bar with snacks is a very nice amenity for a hotel and justifies the expense of the rooms. Also there were very nice people working in the bar and they deserve to be treated with respect. This is a very poor business decision….
This is really disappointing. Beacon Bar was my favorite place in the neighborhood for Happy Hour and preshow drinks for Beacon Theater Concerts. They have outdoor seating in the summer and could have easily reopened with additional outdoor tables. I’m sad for the wonderful employees I’ve known for 4 years now.
Beacon bar was like a home to us. Made very good friends with the employees as well as customers. Mike is an incredible guy as well as bar tender. I sure hope that they decide to open again with the same crew.
Mike Manjon so sorry .They are GUTLESS OWNERS . They didnt have the balls to tell dedicated Mixologist like you . Karma will get every one of them . Eye for & Eye .
Not a good move. All upscale hotels have a bar/restaurant so this decision really cheapens the place. Not only was it a nice place for the hotel guests to enjoy, it was a place for people of the neighborhood to frequent – especially since there is nothing like it, let alone a bar, on that stretch of Broadway. It had become a sort of neighborhood “Cheers” and will be sorely missed as will the wonderful staff. Mike was the best and ran the bar to perfection, always knowing what music to play, what wine I should try, and his fabulous sangria. Very sad news for the neighborhood and hotel patrons…..
I cannot fathom why a hotel right next to the Beacon Theater would close down their bar. Travelers always frequent their hotel bar. And this particular bar has become a most important gathering place for the neighborhood residents and frequent visitors like my husband and I. The staff are stellar and for us it became our home away from home. We have made many friends and it is a warm and lively place to be.
We ask that management re-visit this perplexing decision. The neighborhood and we travelers need the Beacon Bar to be open with the present staff. Please reconsider!
The Beacon Bar and all of the staff always provided a welcoming spot to neighbors and travelers alike, to say nothing of the packed crowds pre and post concerts at the Beacon Theater. It was one of the most relaxed, down to earth places in the neighborhood, making it easy to visit with friends, have a snack and catch up with each other. Each visitor to NYC that I brought there remarked that to them, it felt like “Cheers.” The staff always went out of their way to make each and every person feel welcome. Hopefully the management will re-consider and restore this piece of the Upper West Side which provided a respite from the world’s hustle and bustle.
Such a shame, this was my go to place after work. I dare to call it the Cheers of the Upper West Side. Weather I went in alone or with a group of coworkers or friends, our group always almost doubled because this is a place where you found people. It would be a disservice to the neighborhood to not have The Beacon Bar and the cast that I’ve come to know over the past 6 years.
I can not imagine what genius made this decision but this is a terrible move and terrible news. My family and I loved the Beacon Bar and the staff – Mike is the best, if fact, all the staff was wonderful. Please think about the staff, the customers, the neighborhood and reconsider!
I read this online journal every day (or any day it’s put out), and must say — as a completely unbiased commenter (I don’t even drink alcohol or enjoy bars) — that I’ve never seen so much passion and positivity expressed for a neighborhood bar or restaurant. I hope the sheer volume and quality of comments above causes the owners to reconsider, and I promise if the Beacon Bar enjoys a second life, I’ll happily visit and raise a glass of gingerale to Mike and his colleagues. Best of luck!
This was such a terrible decision. Beacon Bar isn’t just a hotel bar or a theater bar, it is a neighborhood spot. Every single day a large group of regulars gathers there to catch up and talk with Mike, Danny, Renee, Lisa, Franklin, Sandra and all of the great staff who are friends to so many of us. When the outdoor patio is open my friends and I used to come several nights a week with our dogs to sit outside. The patio is always full. And I won’t even mention the best mac n cheese in the city. I can’t imagine why management would choose to close this place. I was already sad that they had cut down the hours. Huge mistake.
The Beacon Bar welcomes us as we searched for a place to call home on the UWS. Yes, we first thought it might be a “hotel bar” or maybe a “theater bar”….but we were so off base. The Beacon Bar is a neighborhood bar. In the past 3 years we have met dear friends, celebrated birthdays and holidays together and ALWAYS felt welcome as we walked in the door. And I truly believe the out of town guests and concert go-ers there for the evening, had a better experience because of the bar, it’s employees and local patrons. Everyone who works at The Beacon Bar goes the extra mile to make it a warm, welcoming home away from home. Poor decision to shut down this iconic place. We will miss each and everyone. And now we will simply have to find a new home. Sadly, it is the Beacon Bar’s loss.
Mike Manjon so sorry .They are GUTLESS OWNERS . They didnt have the balls to tell dedicated Mixologist like you . Karma will get every one of them . Eye for & Eye .
So incredibly sad and disappointed to read this. The Beacon was my neighborhood home away from home, the place I met so many lifelong friends, and also what I always considered to simply be a true fixture of the UWS and what it means to live here.
And that is solely because of the people who worked there. They created a community, and a place of unrivaled hospitality & service (not to mention unrivaled cocktails, thanks to Mike).
I know that many places have been forced to close because of Covid-19; I only hope that this closing was purely a result of that, and that management will do *everything* they can to bring back this incredibly special place, with the incredible staff who make it so special. I won’t return until they do.
Until then, I will be desperately missing my home away from home, and all of my Beacon family. Love to you all.
As a former bartender there, I can attest that the upper management and owners there were awful. They never cared about the bar and never recognized the hard work and dedication of the amazing staff there. We put our hearts into that place and the clientele, but unfortunately it went unrecognized. I’m not surprised by the way they went about closing without any proper notice or appreciation for the staff. A lot of times I felt like I was leaking myself there, never being appreciated or recognized by the management. It’s a shame because that place was very special. We built an amazing customer base, had so many regulars that would come by several times a week, and filled up to capacity before shows at the theater. The staff there worked their butts off. Shame on the owners and upper management.
Thank you very much to everyone for the wonderful outpouring of support. So many people from our incredible and vast Beacon Bar family have contacted me personally to let me know that they’re upset about how it all went down. It really means the world to us and the entire staff really appreciate it. Unfortunately I feel that your comments and concerns have fallen on deaf ears. We still haven’t heard a peep from the owners and as far as I’m concerned their silence is deafening. It sends a clear signal that they just didn’t care about us enough to, at the very least, reach out and let us know that although it was necessary to close that they feel a modicum of remorse and it was a difficult choice. SOMETHING…ANYTHING would’ve helped to soften the blow but now it’s obvious to me that they just don’t give a $#!+… Hopefully some of us from the bar end up somewhere else on our beloved UWS so that we can see you all soon. Love to you all from me, Renee, Danny, Lisa and the rest of the gang!