By Anthony Rifilato
Though the place was already popular, having first opened in 1964, for Kearney, owning and operating the venerated watering hole became more than a job. It became his life.
"It was something that I always wanted to do," the Seaford resident said.
So it came as a shock to Kearney, his employees and the bar's loyal patrons when the Irish Pub was notified that it would have to shut its doors after 43 years in Baldwin. Its landlord - Conway Motors next door - is not renewing the bar's lease, or those of its other tenants, which stretch from Harrison Avenue toward Grand Avenue. On Saturday, the pub will close its doors for good.
"It was a real shock," said a distraught Kearney last Friday. "Nobody saw this coming; there was no real warning."
Kearney said that Conway Motors notified him on May 29 that he would have to vacate the premises in a month. He and other tenants said that Conway is selling the roughly two-acre property to another auto dealership, which will raze the buildings to make room for its cars.
Calls to Conway were not returned, and a receptionist said that owner Bobby Conway was too busy to speak to a reporter. She confirmed that Conway, which has been in business since 1932, was closing.
In addition to the Irish Pub, other businesses that will be forced to close include Unique Hobbies and Haven Décor. It was unclear when the buildings would be torn down, but most of the businesses being affected had clearance or sale signs on their windows. Though Kearney has been on a month-to-month lease since 1985, he was sure that because new stores had opened in recent years, his business was safe. He had even spent money on a new boiler and major roof repairs.
Some of Conway's tenants said they received some monetary compensation, but not much. Kearney and others were taken aback by the short notice. "I talked to the landlord on May 24, and he said nothing was happening," said Kearney, adding that after he was notified on May 29, the landlord told him there was nothing he could do.
The owner of Unique Hobbies, at 36 Sunrise Highway, also said that the short notice came as a shock. But according to Ray Stabile, the lease he signed with Conway Motors stipulated that the property could be sold with 30 days' notice.
"We've been here for 15 months - just long enough to fix it up so someone can come and buy it," Stabile said, half-joking. "We're trying to find a new location in Baldwin. It's really, really tough."
"The pub you grew up in"
Irish Pub patrons have been coming for years from across Nassau County and even New York City, the staff said. Many have met their wives or husbands there, while others have come with their kids and grandkids - when they were old enough, of course.
"It's the bar you grew up in," said Sean Brown, 33, a Baldwin resident and a former bartender at the pub. "This is definitely one of the last neighborhood bars. And come hell or high water, they stayed open until 4 a.m."
Legendary bartender Jimmy Buckets, who worked at the bar even before Kearney owned it, was always on hand, serving Guinness - the most popular drink, all agreed - to the numerous regulars. "Most people think that's his name, so it doesn't really matter what his real name is," Kearney said of Buckets. "He's been a fixture for about 33 years here - he was here when I bought the place. He's a legend in Nassau County."
Others said they would miss the nights when you could stop by and see familiar faces and friends - sort of like "Cheers" in Baldwin. "It was always a friendly, neighborhood place," said Bobby Humphreys, the bar's manager. "I'm really going to miss the customers, the bartenders. We always had lots of local guys."
And then there were the St. Patrick's Day celebrations, at which there was plenty of free corned beef and cabbage, Irish folk tunes and a celebratory atmosphere. "On St. Patrick's Day it's unbelievable," said Humphreys. "It's really thriving, and busy morning till night."
There has even been the occasional celebrity sighting. Several months ago, former "Barney Miller" and "Godfather" star Abe Vigoda stopped in, Humphreys said.
Inside, the bar boasts numerous Irish flags, Guinness mirrors, the famous jukebox and the pool table in the rear. On Saturday's, Humphreys said, it's a bustling scene. "Saturday nights we have great bartenders and it's a really good mix of people," he said. "Everyone has fun together, and every night something different happens."
Trying to stay in Baldwin
Like their neighbors at Unique Hobbies, the management of the Irish Pub is hoping to stay in Baldwin. But Kearney and others said that Conway's short notice is making the effort daunting. Stabile is looking to relocate to another store on Merrick Road, just East of Grand Avenue. In the meantime, Stabile's inventory of model cars, doll houses, toys and more will have to be out by Saturday.
"We're trying to stay in Baldwin, but there's not that many available shopping districts," Stabile said. "We were getting great business here. As a business, we finally started to make some progress, and our sales were up."
Kearney is looking at a vacant location on Merrick Road, though he said that obtaining a public assembly license and other requirements are proving to be frustrating. "I figured I'd move my business and stay in town," Kearney said. "We'd like to stay in Baldwin, but for the location we're looking at, you need a public assembly license."
Humphreys and Kearney explained that they would need a certain amount of parking spots to turn the vacant space into a bar. The possibility of moving the Irish Pub to 834 Merrick Road, however, is looking unlikely due to town ordinances, Kearney said, adding that he was told by the Town of Hempstead that a public assembly license could take nine months or more to obtain. Even then, he was told, there is no guarantee he would receive approval.
"I don't have the parking spaces, so I have to go through all of these hoops before I can do anything," Kearney said. "The town makes it impossible to open another place. It costs a lot of money to redo that store, and I'm not going to spend the money if I'm not guaranteed permits."
Of course, there is still the possibility that the pub may stay in town, and many patrons are doing their part to make sure it remains Baldwin's favorite bar. "I'm trying to keep them in Baldwin," said Erik Mahler, owner of Mahler Realty and a longtime patron of the pub. "First and foremost, it would be a slap in the face if they moved anywhere else - there are a lot of generations of people that have been going there."
On Friday, the Irish Pub will have one last celebration, one last pour from the draft or the bottle, and of course, Jimmy Buckets will be working that night to give the bar a proper send off. "Everybody is very supportive of us," said Humphreys. "I feel like it's unreal."
To which Kearney said, "The Irish Pub was never for sale. I'm hoping to stay in town and keep my client base."
