Regulars of the East Village’s Keybar have until the end of July to enjoy the beloved bar and DJ lounge before it packs its bags for Bushwick.
After 20-plus-years of operating in the East Village, co-owners Gyula Bertok and Attila Draviczki have decided not to renew their flagship’s lease because of rising costs. Instead it is moving to a space double the size at 143 Troutman Street in Bushwick, which was formerly occupied by Farewell Bar. Keybar has been struggling to find a home for awhile now, precariously renting from month-to-month, after its 10 year lease expired during the pandemic. The team is planning to start construction in Bushwick soon and hopes to have a soft launch later this summer, giving them time to work through kinks before a grand reopening.
“It would [have been] slavery just to pay rent to the landlord,” Bertok says about staying in the East Village. “It wasn’t worth it, although we love the location and have so many memories.”
Customers can expect its new space to be a replica of its flagship but with some new additions. The bigger space will offer sidewalk and backyard seating, bar food including Hungarian specialities on the weekends to honor the owners’ home country, as well as limited live music events.
“The backbone of the concept is going to be the same,” Bertok says. “Great hospitality, great music with awesome DJs, good prices, a happy hour. Just a cool, inviting, cozy bar.”
Co-owners and best friends Bertok and Draviczki met in their hometown of Debrecen — Hungary’s second-largest city — nearly four decades ago. The duo came to the United States together just shortly after New York City was forever changed by the terrorist attacks on 9/11.
Later they opened their bar meets DJ lounge concept. The traditional bar transitions into a DJ lounge on weekends offering a wide variety of genre-themed parties, including deep house with DJ Attila Da Hun a.k.a. Draviczki himself. It has been a community staple ever since known for its house DJs, happy hours and free birthday party shots.
But until its East Village doors close, customers can hang out and dance to their favorite tunes.
“We wanna finish this properly,” Bertok says. “Partying.”
