Murphy’s closed in August 2015
Oct. 17, 2016 By Christian Murray
The former Skillman Avenue space that was occupied by Murphy’s will be the new home to a bar that will focus on offering comfort food and rock n roll.
Patrick Walsh attended a Community Board 2 committee meeting with his business partner Thursday who said that they planned to run the establishment “beer hall style,” offering “good hearty food” such as burgers and sausages. They did say there would be some vegetarian options too.
Walsh’s concept is much broader than Murphy’s which focused mainly on the niche business of shell fish and traditional Irish music for entertainment.
The new owners will take over the entire 48-20 Skillman Avenue space that includes the bar and restaurant. The name of the new establishment and projected opening date were not disclosed at the meeting.
“The footprint of Murphy’s is fabulous and very functional and comfortable, but needs a lot of updates to be in compliance with codes,” according to Walsh’s business partner. “We plan to revitalize Murphy’s into a new form.”
Murphy’s was closed in August 2015 by order of the court for failure to pay rent.
Walsh told the community board committee that they intended to offer live rock n roll music and have DJs at the venue from time to time. He said that he would sound proof the venue with triple pane glass.
Walsh sought to open until 4 am seven days per week.
The board gave Walsh and his business partner the go-ahead for the 4 am closing time, the same as what it was for Murphy’s.
They permitted the venue to play amplified music up until midnight from Sunday through Thursday, and until 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
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62 Comments
I want a place that sells $1 budweisers and has a digital jukebox that costs $1 for 3 songs. I don’t need a hipster beer hall with wannabe mick jaggers and most likely overpriced sausages and fancy beer. The newer places around skillman are basically manhattan and brooklyn prices. Every neighborhood doesn’t have to be party central. You know what else I’d like? A decent taco truck within a mile radius. That one at the 52nd street station is one of the worst ever. The food situation north of Queens Blvd is embarrassing.
What a NEGATIVE bunch–it’s not even open yet !!
This amazing news to have a live music place in sunnyside, very excited. I will definitely be there
To support them!
The bar scene in Sunnyside is tragic.
I’m happy that a new business will be opening at the site. Only time will tell if it will succeed. I love rock n roll but not while I’m eating when I want to talk with my dinner companions. Will certainly check it out, maybe eat early and stay for the music.
I like it, drums, bass, loud guitars, real singers not some clown doing karaoke. We need live venues. Im so sick of the single acoustic guitar act, so boring.
I think it will attract the same crowd that goes to bars like Jack’s Fire Dept. Bar 43 and McGuiness. a bunch of old farts pass there prime trying to hit on young Women and in the end it fail.
nailed it
“pass there” ???
How come no one has mentioned the new French place in the old Rosario’s space? It’s very good.
That’s true. The new French place Cote Soleil is out of sight. Rock on!
Because it hasn’t bought at ad.
Who wants to hear this newfangled rock and roll. It will never succeed.
Then why didn’t the community board reflect that. Why are they able to play music seven nights a week. Why not just allow them to do music on Fridays and Saturdays until a much earlier time.
What the article does not mention is that music is only planned as an occasional event, not every night. It was brought up at the CB2 meeting.
What is going on with this community board? Forcing a normal bar that will probably be quite quiet to close at midnight at the old Nonna place, but allowing this place to play loud music until 1am? As someone whose had the misfortune of living within the (large!) sound radius of a bar that plays crappy music long into the night, I can’t believe they are encouraging more places like this.
Did the Solid State people forget to “tip” the community board or what? How to justify placing more restrictions on a quiet place while allowing a place that tells you flat out it’s going to be loud and obnoxious to operate on grandfathered terms?
Oooer, I’m not so sure about all this rock and roll malarkey. What if it drowns out the sound of our leaf blower. We won’t be able to tell if it’s working or not! What if the neighbours see several stray leaves on our crazy paving? What if? Ooer!! Oh! The humanity!!!
Right. People who want to be able to fall asleep in their own apartments are just churlish crybabies. Good one
I hate the leaf blowers! They don’t do anything but make noise and leave a gas stench in the air. One good wind and then bingo, leaves are back on your sidewalk. What happened to raking/bagging leaves?
Glad to see another local business coming back to life. Look forward to hearing some live music and having additional dining options in the neighborhood!
Burghers and sausages are good hearty food?
ROCK!
music in bars=risky
will alienate more than will invite in
better to leave it to what works
nice local with good food and great bartenders who know how to have a conversation
great news! All the crybabies that complain about everything- places opening, places closing, hipsters, parking, schools, yada yada, get over yourself. A vacant prime corner is going to be a Open for business again. The neighborhood can only win. People are acting as if murphys or the brandy well before it was a quiet family place. Lol!
The Brandy Well was my second favorite after hours joint on Skillman.
Where the hell was that? I’ve lived in sunnyside a while and I’ve never heard of it.
How about the Jaunting Car? McGovern’s? The Colonial?
I was actually being serious. And five people disliked my query? Yes, I remember McGoverns. Not the others.
I like they are thinking outside the box.
Sunnyside has a great rock history, in the early 70s KISS played their first gigs with the name KISS at the Popcorn Club (where Red Wing is now). Link Wray, New York Dolls, Deborah Harry and Cyndi Lauper also played there.
Gene Simmons talks about it in an interview how sometimes only like 6 people showed up. There are some live videos of it on youtube.
“…how sometimes only like 6 people showed up” So it was as exiting then as it is now?
Dude if you don’t like it leave and stop bad mouthing the area. I have been living here for over ten years and it is the best place around.
Nah that was pretty funny though. Don’t let the haters hate
The Ramones played there too.
This is bad news. That area is quiet and many families with kids walk and live there.
The type of People that this will attract will be bad for neighborhood and parking. This area has many cool bars and restaurants. Roll and Roll is this location should be banned. I like Rock an Roll but not here. Thanks.
Hey Anonynmous, you can twitch your net curtain and nay say all you like but ROCKNROLL WILL NEVER DIE BABY!!!! Woooo!!!
“This area has many cool bars and restaurants.” Really? Where? One of the two decent restaurants just closed and the area is full of irish bars that look exactly the same, have 10 people in them, and serve. . . Beer. wooopie.
So glad you are moving out! Let us know if you need boxes or info on where to rent a van.
I will throw a big party and celebrate with cake and champagne when I leave. And run screaming in the opposite direction. And no thanks, I don’t need any help. If it’s sunnyside, I’ll probably get a dilapidated 1950’s van and broken boxes with “Swanson TV Dinners” printed on the side.
Glad I don’t live within earshot.
I’m glad I don’t live within earshot of your whinging, buddy!!!
You can stop smoking now. You’re sounding a bit sloppy.
Hee hee!!
Hope it won’t be lame cover bands.
My cover band is anything but lame. It will knock your SOCKS OFF!!! Yeah baby!!!! SOCKS!! OFF!!!
Ok I’m convinced. What’s the name of the band?
It is with great pleasure that I announce my cover band is called…..
…….SPOONMAN!!!
Meh. Should be called Sad Trombone.
LOL, do you know where you live? Of course it will
Hope they don’t book that awful Kevin who plagues the kettle on the weekends
However Chris campion rocks
all black metal, all of the time!
Smart to add meat dishes. Good luck
I’m curious. let’s see how it goes.
Rock and roll? There goes the neighborhood
Woooh yeah!! Where do I hand in my demo minidisc???? Me and my mid-career Chilli Peppers cover band are down to PARTY in Sunnyside!! My drummer Arnaud cannot wait to get with some Skillman ‘tang after we rock you HARD!!
Hilarious!
Party at Ground Zero buddy!
Please take down the vulgar reference to women ” ‘tang.” That kind of disgusting dismemberment of women is losing any appeal it ever had.
I would file that comment under “ironic” and be done with it.
Get off my lawn!!!!
Rock on!