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Light Rain A family-owned Inwood landmark
The Den is the place where they know your name
When James Boyle, Sr. bought The Den, a cocktail lounge in Inwood in 1962, six or seven other bars also occupied the area but 50 years later The Den is the only bar in Inwood and is considered a landmark by the many patrons who pass through the doors.
Boyle’s son Jimmy, 69, was 19-years-old when his family moved to Inwood from the South Bronx. His father came to the United States from Ireland and was in the bar business from 1933, the same year The Den, at 205 Sheridan Blvd., first opened, until his death in 1965. “My mother and I took over when my father passed away,” Jimmy said. “The neighborhood was a good mix of Irish and Italian when we came here but through the changing times, people have changed and there’s not many neighborhood bars left.”
According to Jimmy, though his customers tend to be an older crowd and from all walks of life, they’re the main reason The Den is still in existence. “It feels good to be the only guy standing,” he said. “I’ve met people who I’ve enjoyed for the past 50 years I’ve been here and people who come here feel welcome and at home. It’s a landmark in the Inwood community because it’s the place to meet.”
Kitty Foy, a 30-year Inwood resident, has been coming to The Den for the past 15 years because of the friendly people, atmosphere and Jimmy. “If there’s a problem, he’ll take care of you,” she said. “I told (Jimmy) I won’t sell my house until you sell your bar. You can’t find another bar like this.”
Frequent customer, Chris Young, has been coming to the Den since he was old enough to drink, which he was 18-years-old until the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984. He, like Foy, enjoys the people, atmosphere and Jimmy. “There’s never any trouble in here and I always have a good time,” he said. “It has a unique style---it’s like stepping back into the ‘60s. Everyone here knows your name — like in the ‘Cheers’ song. The crowd doesn’t change, it stays the same.”
Bob Keenan, 22-year Inwood resident and friend of Jimmy’s said he’s seen many patrons pass through the bar over the years. “This is a family place,” he said of The Den. “Here, we don’t consider ourselves friends, we consider ourselves family and part of the Boyle family.”
