Billymark’s West in Chelsea may make a comeback in the near future.
Kevin Peet, a local resident, and his two pals, Andrew Rhodes and Benjamin Aizer who have owned and operated McKenna’s, an unpretentious popular pub in the West Village for over a decade, have submitted an application to acquire the space. The team emphasized in their liquor license that they “intend to keep the bar as is, that being, a longstanding neighborhood tavern,” adding “there are no plans to make ANY changes, it would just be a switch in ownership.”
Kevin told What Now New York that he has been going to the neighborhood establishment “since day one” and has been friends with owners Billy and Mark for a quarter century.
When he found out the duo were looking to retire, he reached out to his buddies in the business, Andrew and Benjamin, with a proposal.
“That was the genesis,” Peet told What Now New York. “We’re hoping people will like what they see when they see it’s more economical. Once we fix it up, it’ll be a family-oriented [place].”
He says the team’s goal is to resurrect the neighborhood establishment, so that its local residents in Penn South, who he explains are predominantly older people without disposable income, can have a place to go since the area has become increasingly gentrified with swanky bars that cost a considerable sum.
He continues: “We want to build up some capitol, and then change it down the line and hopefully make it a bit more aesthetically pleasing.”
He says he also hopes to update the kitchen and serve food in the future.
He estimates that it will take a couple of months to draw up the paperwork and prepare for a grand opening, however, the industry newbie is unsure of how much more red tape they’ll encounter.
“It’s a catch-22, you can’t get the lease without the liquor license and vice versa,” he says. “I don’t know how much more red tape we’ll run into. Hopefully, it’ll be wrapped in a couple months.”
“[There] may be no purer a dive bar experience than Billymark’s West, a bare bones, unassuming Chelsea corner bar unmistakable for its bright blue paint and a deep appreciation for a High Life and a shot,” writes local blog, Scoundrels Field Guide.
Its proposed hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. from Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. on Sunday. It is slated to offer approximately seven tables with 14 seats and one stand-up bar with 20 seats.
