Site of Donovan’s Pub for sale and pub likely to close
Donovan’s Pub
The site of Donovan’s Pub is up for sale for $3.2 million and its future as a business is up in the air, according to a real estate firm that is listing the property.
According to the ad, the buyer will be acquiring the property with two retail operations–a dress shop and Donovan’s. However, as part of the terms of the sale, the pub will be left vacant. The Times Newsweekly broke the story and reported that Joe Donovan, who is in his late 70s, is selling the property.
The ad for the property listed by Massey Knakal Realty Service is as follows:
The subject property is a prime corner retail building on Roosevelt Avenue and 58th Street between Queens Boulevard and Woodside Avenue in the heart of Woodside, Queens. The building is approximately 6,300 SF and consists of 2 retail units; the larger unit is 4,200 SF with 95’ of frontage on Roosevelt which will be delivered vacant (Donovan’s) and the second unit is 2,100 SF facing 58th Street currently leased to a dress shop with a lease expiration in October 2013 w/ a five year option with ~5% annual increases and responsible for 1/3 of tax increases above base year of 2008. There is also a total of ~15,309 build able SF and remaining air rights as-is of approx. 9,000 SF for a possible second & third floor add-ons. An ideal asset for a user, investor or developer.
The end of an era.
Meh, burgers were WAAAY over rated.
I’m thrilled at the prospect of a new 99 cents store or another bank opening up. If we get lucky, maybe even a pawn shop.
Whether you liked the food or didn’t, it’s sad to see a place like this go.
I’m sorry to see people out of work, but they did it to themselves. This place has been a sh**hole for years!! I always expect to see it on “Kitchen Nightmares.” The hamburgers are like hockey pucks and the service is better at McDonald’s. Rickety tables, horrible decor/atmosphere, attitude from employees/servers – and they rush you out even though the place is empty!! Good riddance!!
It is an end of an era and I’m truly heartbroken to hear Donovan’s is being sold. Donovan’s has been part of my life for over 40 years and will always hold such wonderful memories for me. I grew up in Woodside in the 50′s, 60′s and 70′s and Donovan’s was a family favorite not only for it’s food, but as a great neighborhood watering hole to spend time with family and friends. Even though I moved to NJ back in the 80′s, my husband, daughters, and I visited Woodside several times a year and it was always a must to stop and eat in Donovan’s. As far as I’m concerned, Donovan’s is such a special part of Woodside’s history, it should be made into a landmark! Well,on behalf of the Petrula and Castriotta families, I thank Joe Donovan for all the great years and memories he and his restaurant gave to community of Woodside and wish him all the best in his retirement. Woodside will not be the same without him and Donovan’s Pub! Best damn burgers and Irish coffee in all of NYC! Slainte, Joe!
BOO HOO, soooooo many memories at Donovans.
…Will miss this place .. Could always meet someone here that you had not seen in a long time and it was like “old times” ..
Nice place to be able to bring children and be comfortable ..
….Nice how the waitresses would hear someone mention it was one of their birthdays and out would come a dessert with a candle in it.
Very thoughtful ..
Lots of luck to a healthy retirement Joe Donovan. and Thanks for all
the good years ..
Wow. I guess we have one less place to go for mediocre food, horrendous decor and shoddy service.
Well I guess there’s always Sidetracks.
First place I had Guinness on draft I’m guessing over 30 years ago. Great memories there, good luck Mr. Donovan.
cya! you were great 20 years ago and now just sub-par – lol bring on the next 99 cent store!
I think their burgers are good. The service as a few have mentioned is crap. Still unfortunate to have this place close.
will it be turned into a place not even written in English???
what is happening to NY? I went to St. Sebastian’s grammar school,
it wasn’t too often I went being so young, but it was a nice place.
I hope this turns into a strip club. Like a really awesome one.
I was never crazy about Donovan’s. So dark and cramped — the burgers were only OK.
That said, I’m always sad to see any long-established place close — I may not have liked it but so many others do.
This is the saddest news I have heard in a long time. So many great memories here. Woodside will never be the same for me.
Can we have a book store (tee hee!)? Or another nail salon?
Donovan’s is unusual in being a pub across the street from a church. It has that privilege because it opened while the church was still a movie theater.
If the new owner wants to continue serving alcohol in that location it’s probably possible to transfer the license. On the other hand, if it’s “delivered vacant” it probably won’t have a bar.
I’m definitely going to make sure I stop by for a pint and a burger at least once before they close!
One of the last of Woodside’s institutions is gone. How very,very sad
I have many memories of family birthdays, holidays, funeral luncheons etc at Donavan’s. I was just there last Saturday.
This breaks my heart
The Pub space being delivered vacant makes me wonder what’s being done with the contents.
Perhaps someone is purchasing the contents and reopening somewhere else?
Perhaps the public will be able to purchase items for memories and souvenirs?
It will be interesting to watch how this proceeds.
Maybe they’ll open up a Chik-fil_A.
JVB can cut the ribbon.
Hahahahaha.
So sad! I do think Donovan’s has gone a bit down hill over the past few years, but I really do love the place.
say it isn’t so
This is a sign that Woodside is going downhill while Sunnyside is getting better and better.
Think about all the new places in Sunnyside that have come in the past couple of years: Salt & Fat, Claret, Molly Blooms, Yum Yum, Dog & Duck, Saffron, Bar 43, and more…
their hamburgers were the pits and the waitresses were so rude and horrible — they thought who the hell they were –
In my humble opinion, both areas are not what they used to be. the shopping area stinks for both.
3.2 million… good luck
It’s a lovely place for a cocktail.
No matter what you think of Donovan’s, it’s an iconic and familiar establishment. The exterior is quaint and inviting, the exact antithesis of the cold, oppressive, soulless structures that we see cropping up all over lately.
No doubt some bland yet hideous building will take its place.
First visited D’s Pub in 66, I was 19. Held B-Day, Going away Nam, returning Nam and many other themed parties at this establishment. It was what you made of it. Excluding IRELAND, Where else but in Woodside could you have all your familiar needs met with in feet of each other. A church, a funeral parlor, a school, a library, a grocery store, doctor’s office and a Pub. I have traveled the world but when in NY and Woodside always went to Donovan’s Thanks for the memories.
Generations of true Woodsiders love this place -not just the people who moved there 5 years ago and see it as a sub-par place to eat. This was a true community establishment where people came to hang out with their friends, St Sebastians Alumni would meet for drinks after midnight mass on Christmas Eve, holiday drinks with the boys, everyone knew your family and you always knew the bartenders. I’ll truely miss this place and feel like a piece of old Woodside wil lbe gone when this placed is closed. Shelly’s will be the last stronghold for the “old school” Woodside boys.
Your overall reporting of this story is quite lazy, as if the only thing bothered to be read was the real estate listing.
Jack Donovan, Manager said this in the article published by the Timesweekly…..
He added that the buyer of the building will have the option to purchase the business and run it; however, the owner will also have the option of having the site be “delivered vacant.”
“This isn’t something that is imminent,” he stated; the process is expected to take at least a year, and no one has emerged as a potential buyer.
The restaurant and pub are still open for business, come down say hello until the Donovans and Staff are actually ready to say goodbye Woodside.
Sunnyside / Woodside is not the Irish American stronghold it once was.
Not lamenting, just stating the obvious… Donovan’s used to be a meeting place for my family over the years. Many have moved on now.
I agree with the other posters in hoping it doesn’t become a bank, 99 cents store, or some other eyesore.
With all of the new pubs opening on Skillman Av and in Sunnyside perhaps the Irish community can come together and find someone who wants to preserve and run Donovan’s …
@maggie lynch Thanks for giving the straight scoop …
So many memories, we need more of them.
…i am so saddened to hear that Donovans will be no more….its very true that over the years the quality of food has drastically declined…i haven’t been there in many years because of that fact…but the memories of meeting friends and family for numerous occasions or sometimes just running into a friend on the street and going for a burger will stay with me forever….and please…to those of you who are somewhat “new” to the area….Donovans really did have one of the best burgers in NYC with french fries that were cut from real potatoes by the guys in the kitchen….a lot has definately changed over the years….no disbuting that… but lets not trash an establishment that for decades warmed the hearts of so many with good food,good drink, and an atmosphere that welcomed everyone….All the Best to the Donavan Family and thank you for so many years of good times.
I think it be a HUGE LOSS to the whole community of Woodside to Lose Donovan’s. It has been here for so long and has great food and awesome bartenders and waitresses that know people by there name just after meeting them 2 times. That’s the type of place you want to go and eat. Also a place where a member of the family comes a greets you on a day to day basis and thank you for keeping Donovans alive and well in the Woodside neighborhood. Jack Donovan does that almost everyday of the week. I hope i can bring my daughter to Donovans when she’s 21 and sit at the bar with her with Jimmy Jacs & Harry.
I had their burger and it was the so greasy, yuck!
To be labeled the best burger in town, please! Shannon pot in Lic
Has a much better burger and I never got sick!
I grew up in the neighborhood and enjoyed going to Donovan’s. It had the best burgers and a very friendly atmosphere. Even after I moved away, I would still come back for a meal and a pint. It’s a shame that Mr. Donovan couldn’t find someone to carry the restaurant forward as a going concern. Woodside doesn’t have that many good places to eat and it’s losing a good one. But I guess, like Elaine’s, Gino, Giovanni’s, Lutèce and La Caravelle all good things come to an end.
I met someone who came from Woodside and got taking about the pub. I haven’t seen Jack in 30 years maybe longer, we grew up together in Bayside Queens, after all of these years I still consider him a friend. I have fond memories.