Over the Eight says goodbye at their New Year’s Eve comics celebration (Photo: Nick McManus)
Last year was a rough one for cultural spaces of all kinds in New York City, so it was somewhat fitting (if not totally sad) that a slew of local spots said their peace-outs during New Year’s Eve festivities. Among the departing establishments that went out with a bang on one of the drunkest night of the year was Over the Eight, a Williamsburg bar which closed up shop after “three and a half years” of “slinging cheap drinks and treasured times” (as we heard back in November when the owners first announced their departure).
It’s not a bad idea to start 2017 with a clean slate and leave gloomy end-times memories behind with 2016, officially The Worst Year Ever. Good times were to be had in the final moments for sure– something captured by our own Polaroid photographer at large, Nick McManus who made the rounds that night to many of the watering holes that were on their last leg.
Regulars helped bring in the party balloons around 6 pm (Photo: Nick McManus)
On the other hand, Over the Eight’s closure is undeniably disappointing. For many people, it was one of the last welcoming places in a neighborhood whose theme song has long been “I’m Losing My Edge.” It was even home for some who had left Williamsburg years earlier or could never afford to live there in the first place. It was also just a great place for dance parties, cheap beer and tacos, comedy, and karaoke.
Around 5:30 pm, patrons lined up for tacos at the bar’s resident food truck, Santa Salsa’s (Photo: Nick McManus)
Choosing a celebratory night to say bye-bye to an establishment like this one was kind of like letting the dog out for one last game of fetch and all the Kibbles n’ Bits he can eat, before toting him to the vet for the SleepyTime4Ever™ shot. In other words– sad! RIP Over the Eight, you will be sorely missed.
Follow Nick McManus on Instagram @dudemanshouse