# Raven bar, Lower East Side, New York



## editor (Mar 2, 2006)

Sorry to report that urban75's favourite NY bar was in a major fire last night and it could be the end of the place  

Apparently a boiler caught fire and the damage is serious. Here's what my friend Jim said: 





> As for the future of the bar it's up in the air at the moment. The  building is very old with wooden floor beams that appear to be
> charred. It's in the hands of the City inspectors as to whether or
> not the building can be saved.


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## editor (Mar 2, 2006)

Some pics of the aftermath of the fire here: http://web.mac.com/jscooch/iWeb/Raven_NYC/Raven_Photos.html


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## bluestreak (Mar 2, 2006)

that sucks, i loved that bar.


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## D (Mar 2, 2006)

That's very sad.

I look forward to seeing The Raven rise from the ashes (quite literally).

Good luck to 'em.


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## Mation (Mar 2, 2006)

Oh that's terrible. I only went there the once, but it was great. I hope it's salvagable.


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## editor (Mar 2, 2006)

Had a long chat with Jim earlier, and they should be finding out if the building is going to be demolished or not tomorrow.

Thing is, with the entire area yuppifying at a rate of knots, I guess there may be a whole load more financial incentive for the landlord to demolish the bar and rebuild some swishy 'lifestyle' flats on the site.


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## Mation (Mar 3, 2006)

How long had it been The Raven?


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## Mr Retro (Mar 4, 2006)

Awful to hear this. We spent a week visiting some friends last April and this was our bar of choice (have read about it here).

Editor is your friend the big -slightly scary- barman guy with long redish hair? This guy knew you anyway and I bought him a drink for you . Rolling Rock if I remember. I think we may have been talking at cross purposes because this guy was adamant you were a DJ there!? I was saying unlikely given you live in London.

I'm not confident the raven will open again. I was in that area in 1992 and when I went back last year I was simply stunned at the gentrification. $$ will rule this descision and I fear the raven will be reborn as appartments


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## phildwyer (Mar 4, 2006)

editor said:
			
		

> Had a long chat with Jim earlier, and they should be finding out if the building is going to be demolished or not tomorrow.
> 
> Thing is, with the entire area yuppifying at a rate of knots, I guess there may be a whole load more financial incentive for the landlord to demolish the bar and rebuild some swishy 'lifestyle' flats on the site.



Don{t know about that, there{ve been about a million bars opened on Avenues B, A, 1 and 2 in the last five years or so, and they all seem to be doing a cracking trade.  When I lived there it was dead in the evenings east of 1st Ave, so the gentrification has obviously encouraged the bar trade.


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## editor (Mar 4, 2006)

Mr Retro said:
			
		

> Editor is your friend the big -slightly scary- barman guy with long redish hair? This guy knew you anyway and I bought him a drink for you . Rolling Rock if I remember. I think we may have been talking at cross purposes because this guy was adamant you were a DJ there!? I was saying unlikely given you live in London.


I have indeed DJed there on a few occasions - there was even a mini Offline there last year - but I can't think who you're referring to.

My mate Jim is one of the DJs (Dandysex) there although I wouldn't call him scary looking (unless red/blue hair and a gothy appearance troubles you!)...


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## editor (Mar 4, 2006)

phildwyer said:
			
		

> Don{t know about that, there{ve been about a million bars opened on Avenues B, A, 1 and 2 in the last five years or so, and they all seem to be doing a cracking trade.  When I lived there it was dead in the evenings east of 1st Ave, so the gentrification has obviously encouraged the bar trade.


Thing is that the Raven is an old-school neighbourhood bar, with a relaxed vibe and a loyal clientèle. Most of the new bars aren't like that at all.


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## Mr Retro (Mar 4, 2006)

editor said:
			
		

> I have indeed DJed there on a few occasions - there was even a mini Offline there last year - but I can't think who you're referring to.
> 
> My mate Jim is one of the DJs (Dandysex) there although I wouldn't call him scary looking (unless red/blue hair and a gothy appearance troubles you!)...



didn't realise you dj'd there

I mean 7 feet across the shoulders 7 foot high scary but sound [cliche] gentle giant [/cliche] Bloomberg *hater* when approached. Probably a couple of shifts a week bar man.

I do hope they get it back together. It's one of those bars that is nothing special on the surface but lots of small things makes it special. 

For example the buy back system seems to have died out in many NYC bars around the gentrified areas but not at the raven. Even when it's packed the barman will always remember your 4th beer and give it to you with a enthusiastic "That cheers guys!!!!"


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## duvel (Mar 7, 2006)

......that's terrible news.

My lasting memories of the Raven are of a friendly place where my friends and i could sit in the dim lighting and enjoy some liquor and fine tunes. I was last there on Dec 29th, 2005. 

In 2001, Joey Ramone had just died (although we didn't know it at that time)....my friend and I were walking and saw the sign out the front 'RIP Joey Ramone'. We staggered in and were greeted with free shots (well, we are Australian), a smile and Rock n' Roll High School on the TV screen. A night that is still talked about every time we catch up.......

Let's hope this place is rebuilt and another LEGENDARY New York isn't lost.....

*editor, keeps us informed*

Duvel (Melbourne, Australia)


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## editor (Mar 7, 2006)

Great news! The inspectors have deemed the building safe and the bar will reopen!

They reckon the bar might be back open in around a month (which seems a tad optimistic) but I'm delighted that the Raven will live on!

Long live the Raven!


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## Mation (Mar 7, 2006)

Excellent stuff!


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## editor (Mar 7, 2006)

Raven news update:



> Hello Ravenites,
> 
> Yesterday was salvage day at The Raven. Lots of activity with
> insurance adjusters, city inspectors and most importantly a rebuild
> ...


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## 1927 (Mar 7, 2006)

I spent a very enjoyable afternnon/evening in the Raven alst tuesday, but didnt venture down on wednesday as i had other things to do it being St.David's day and all that.

Anyway thursday I ventured down for another drinking session and was gutted when I turned the corner to see the shutters down and a police car still camped outside with that blue and white incdent tape stuff across the street.

Pleasesto see that its going to be up and running again cos was a great spot everyone remembered me from last year and were speaking highly of the Ed and his spot last year.

I think the "scary" barman is probably Paul, a big originally Russian guy with very scary teeth and smile in a  James Bond baddie type way!! great guy tho with an encyclopaedic knowledge of music.


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## DJ DandySex (Mar 7, 2006)

Hello all

The Editors friend Jim from NYC here. It warms my heart to see that the Raven is so fondly remembered.

The scary looking barman is indeed Paul. Don't let his size fool you he is one of the nicest persons I have ever known and yes his knowledge of music is a large as his big heart.


Hopefully I will have good news to post tomorrow.

Cheers till tomorrow.


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## 1927 (Mar 7, 2006)

Good to see you posting here Jim, and Paul is indeed a top bloke.

If you see them would you please say hi to Paul, Alex and Greg. They'll remember me as the urbanite who was in there last tuesday, I did call round again on thursday to have a few beers with them all and say bye, but by then it was too late!!


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## DJ DandySex (Mar 8, 2006)

*Raven Update 3-8-06*

Today was a busy day at The Raven. The Insurance company was out in full force taking inventory and preparing estimates. Inspectors were busy inspecting the damage trying to determine the exact cause of the fire.

While Ria was busy taking inventory with the hysterically funny insurance inspector, Harold Taz and I salvaged what was authorized to be moved. 

I am happy to report that the DJ station survived intact.I am sure once we are able to extract it from the bar and find some electricity the Crazy Baldhead  Sound System will thunder once again. I for one can’t wait to be behind those decks again.

Taz was able to rescue his battery powered scooter. At the moment it does not start, probably due to being soaked with water. Taz is confident that in a few days drying time and with a battery recharge he will once again be zipping along the streets of the East Village again. 

Harold was able to pull down all the photos from the walls that he could find. Most importantly the old black and white photos of the Coney Island Thunderball Roller Coaster. Once upon a time Harold’s Grandparents owned that ride. Apparently they lived in a house underneath the roller coaster. How cool is that?

I am posting more photos from inside the bar that I took today. It’s amazing what a mess there is and how wet everything still is. I dug through the mess behind the bar for an hour looking for Big Paul’s cell phone. I am afraid it is gone forever and with it hundreds of phone numbers. I was able to salvage the Gargoyles that protected the cash register but I am afraid the stuffed ravens that looked over the bar aren’t looking so hot.

Harold and Ria are busy looking at their options. They want to rebuild soon but as you can see from the photos below it may take some time. There is a lot of damage to structure that needs to be repaired before any Raven renovation can take place. I will keep you posted.

Take a look at the latest photos here.

http://web.mac.com/jscooch/iWeb/Raven_NYC/Raven_Photos.html

Cheers,
Jim


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## editor (Mar 9, 2006)

It's weird - it looks more like like a gang of vandals have gone berserk in the bar rather than it's been hit by a fire!

Still, it could have been worse - look what's happened to one of our favourite Brixton bars: http://urban75.org/brixton/bars/the-queen.html


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## DJ DandySex (Mar 9, 2006)

*Why???*

How could a building like that get demolished? I am afraid to ask what they put up in it's place.

Harold and Ria are considering moving two doors down the block. They only have two years on their current lease and prior to the fire the landlord informed them that the rent would be doubled to over $8000.00 per month. Unless a compromise can be reached it is doubtful that the Raven will return in the same space. Hopefully the landlord will be reasonable.


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## editor (Mar 24, 2006)

Update from Mr Dandysex:


> Finally! Dumpster Day on Avenue A. It’s been one month since the fire
> and progress is finally starting to happen. Harold, Ria, Paul and Jim
> along with three workers from the landlord spent the day hauling
> rubble. It was back breaking work but little by little we were
> ...


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## editor (May 25, 2006)

Oh dear, things are now looking bad for my fave NYC bar 



> The Raven still sits vacant. It would appear the the landlord is not
> going to do any repairs in the near future. I believe he is going to
> let the building sit empty until the current leases expire in 2
> years. With no pesky tenants and businesses to deal with he will be
> ...


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## D (May 25, 2006)

editor said:
			
		

> Oh dear, things are now looking bad for my fave NYC bar



Indeed.  I'm doing a reading down the block from there tomorrow - would've been a great place to go for a post-performance drink.

ps I'm in the process of moving back to NY


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## editor (May 25, 2006)

D said:
			
		

> ps I'm in the process of moving back to NY


Woohoo! I hope to get over there soon - hopefully to do another Offline night somewhere!


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## editor (Aug 25, 2009)

This is really sad news. Taz, the old bouncer at the Raven was shot dead while working for a bar near E13th on the weekend.

He was trying to break up a fight and took a bullet to the head. He was a nice bloke and a good laugh. 

Here he is messing about in the background at the Offline night at the Raven back in 2005.  








> Eric (Taz) Pagan was off duty and hanging out at Forbidden City, a hip Asian-themed bar on Avenue A near E. 13th St., when he took a fatal bullet to the head trying to break up a fight just outside the lounge at 4:30 a.m., police and witnesses said.
> 
> Pagan, 42, and other Forbidden City employees ran from the shuttered bar just as a man stepped out of an idling white van brandishing a handgun, horrified witnesses said.
> 
> ...


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## HobgoblinMan (Aug 25, 2009)

Bloody hell, poor dude. Sad sad indeed. Did the Raven ever re-open???


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## editor (Aug 25, 2009)

HobgoblinMan said:


> Bloody hell, poor dude. Sad sad indeed. Did the Raven ever re-open???


Nope. The whole area has gentrified so there was zero chance of a cheap rock'n'roll bar reopening amongst the newly arrived style bars and boutiques. 

The owner now runs a neighbourhood bar out in the wilds of Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It's decent enough, but not a patch on the old Raven bar.


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## HobgoblinMan (Aug 25, 2009)

Ahhh, from one area of gentrification to another, soon enough it will be goodbye Greenpoint hello Queens.


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## editor (Aug 25, 2009)

HobgoblinMan said:


> Ahhh, from one area of gentrification to another, soon enough it will be goodbye Greenpoint hello Queens.


Greenpoint filled up with folks priced out of the turbo-gentrifying Williamsburg, but that's  changing rapidly too.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 25, 2009)

Blimey 

Like something you see on TV.  Poor guy 

I take it they've not caught the guy yet then?


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## 1927 (Aug 25, 2009)

That is sad news. They were such a lovely bunch at the Raven. I used to hang out there all day on wet days in NY, when trudging the streets diodnt seem to appealing. All the staff would have a drink with you play pool etc. Really was my home from home, and all the staff were like mates even tho you'd never met them before!


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## editor (Aug 25, 2009)

There's some really depressing comments on the NY Daily News article, with gun nuts and racists posting up their vile shite.


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## christonabike (Aug 25, 2009)

Only been in it once, but it's sad to hear this news 

I always remember the places that I feel at home in, and this was one of them


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## editor (Aug 25, 2009)

The scumbag killer has been caught. Taz was just trying to stop the fight.



> An ex-con from East Harlem was busted Monday for gunning down a bouncer and wounding two other men outside a popular East Village club, police said.
> 
> Louis Rodriguez, 29, shot and killed Eric (Taz) Pagan outside Forbidden City, a hip Asian-themed bar on Avenue A after a fight early Sunday, cops said.
> 
> ...


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## editor (Aug 25, 2009)

Tribute outside Forbidden City for Eric "Taz" Pagan
http://evgrieve.com/2009/08/tribute-outside-forbidden-city-for-eric.html


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## Pie 1 (Aug 27, 2009)

Jesus, what an awful story.

His kids & friends must be devastated.


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## skyscraper101 (Aug 27, 2009)

Sad news


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## editor (May 23, 2011)

I've written a little piece remembering this fantastic bar:






http://www.urban75.org/blog/the-raven-bar-east-village-nyc-remembered/


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## Mation (Jun 11, 2011)

Gosh. I've just seen the posts about Taz.


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## editor (Jun 21, 2011)

Mation said:


> Gosh. I've just seen the posts about Taz.


It was really shocking, wasn't it? He was a nice bloke.


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