Party, Rally, Pay Your Respects to Coney Island Boardwalk 9

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Party, Rally, Pay Your Respects to Coney Island Boardwalk 9

November 6, 2010 by Tricia

Coney Island Needs Your Help: The Official Poster from Friends of Ruby’s Bar & Grill

This weekend, patrons and friends of the nine booted out Boardwalk businesses will converge in Coney Island to party, rally and pay their respects. Ruby’s Bar will be open for “Last Call…for now” on Saturday from 12 noon till at least 6 pm. Friends of the beloved bar organized a rally and petition drive. You can sign the online petition here. We expect to see lots of protest signs and as many dear friends on this heartbreaking occasion as on New Year’s Day.

The businesses who lost their leases aka “The Coney Island Boardwalk 9” are Ruby’s, Cha Cha’s, Paul’s Daughter, Grill House, Gyro Corner, Shoot the Freak, Beer Island, Pio Pio Riko and Coney Island Souvenir Shop. Paul’s Daughter, who was interviewed yesterday by New York Magazine’s Grub Street, will also be open on Saturday for a farewell party. On Sunday, Coney Island band Neptune Jam will be playing in front of the Grill House. We wouldn’t be at all surprised if Cha Cha’s and Shoot the Freak are open, too. We’ll let you know! UPDATE 10:30 pm… Ruby’s was still rocking when we left around 8 pm! But Saturday was “Last Call” for now. Cha Cha’s and Shoot the Freak remained closed, but Gyro Corner was open. Both Paul’s Daughter and Grill House will be open on Sunday.

Paul's Daughter, Coney Island Boardwalk. Last day of season, Oct 31, 2010. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

As we said on the eve of Coney Island’s official last day of the season, which was October 31: If you have a sentimental favorite on the Boardwalk, come out and show them some love. And don’t forget to take souvenir photos. This weekend could be your very last chance.

If you can’t make it and want to make your voice heard, we recommend calling 311 (or 212-NEW-YORK outside NYC) and leaving a comment for the Mayor or sending an email via the City’s website. The property is City-owned, yet the City has been silent since the news broke. Plans for a revamped Boardwalk were probably part of the original proposal for the new Luna Park and certainly had input from the City’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). It’s pretty clear the City wanted these old Boardwalk businesses gone from the new Coney Island or we’d have heard about a plan to relocate them instead of silence.

The only politician who has commented on the situation is Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who told Grub Street: “As a Brooklynite, I have great respect for all boardwalk businesses that have kept the faith during hard times, therefore I’m calling on the City to see if we can help them stay in the area if not on the boardwalk.” You can encourage Marty to broker a deal by emailing askmarty@brooklynbp.nyc.gov or phoning 718-802-3700.