Jason Spratt, new owner (Photo: SunnysidePost)
April 14, 2014 By Christian Murray
The Leitrim House, one of this neighborhood’s oldest bars located at 45-06 48th Ave., was sold last month and the new owner has plans to renovate it.
Jason Spratt, who is taking over the establishment, will be renaming it “The Jar” and aims to bring in a new crowd as well as make life-long Sunnysiders and Woodsiders feel at home.
The bar, which was established in 1933 as Ryan’s, has had a number of different owners and names over the years. It has catered to generations of Sunnyside and Woodside residents.
However, Spratt, who is from Ireland, also wants to bring in a younger generation.
He said he wants to change the exterior and make it more inviting. He has other modest changes in mind.
“I need to walk a fine line, since many of the existing customers are sensitive about it changing too much,” Spratt said.
He said that it is important that the establishment retains it gritty dive bar feel, complete with the pool table and dart board.
Spratt, who doesn’t like to talk about himself, wants his “dive bar” to continue to maintain its weathered look and be “a place where you feel comfortable… no matter how you look or what you do.”
Spratt said that the bar currently sells domestic pints for between $3.50 and $4.00. “We are not paying Queens Blvd rent so we can keep prices low,” he said.
Spratt said that he welcome ideas from residents as to how to make the bar more inviting and vibrant.
“I will be interested to see what comments I get,” he said.”I’m sure there will be people who will say this place should not exist or should never have been born,” he said.”Anyway, it makes for great entertainment.”
