March 15, 2016 By Christian Murray
A Woodside resident who has been working at a variety of Sunnyside and Woodside bars over the past 15 years is taking over Shelley’s.
Dympna Rogers, who said she signed a lease last month to take over the 58-15 Woodside Ave. establishment, told Community Board 2’s City Services committee last week that she plans to reopen the bar in June.
She said that she has experience in the industry, having worked at the Copper Kettle, McGuinness’s and the Station Bar, all local establishments.
Shelley’s closed last April. The owner of the building, Deborah Strack Cregan, told the community board in September that she was going to reopen it. Cregan and her husband had run the bar from 1986 through 1999.
However, nothing materialized and Rogers said she is now taking over the 70-year-old pub.
“Shelley’s has always been here and will always be here,” Rogers said. “It just needs a new lease on life. We want people to feel welcome, including the new people moving in.”
Rogers said that she is going to rename the bar Beerkeeper and will be making some minor alterations.
The community board committee gave its blessing for the bar to be open from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. seven days per week. The board said it could keep its small rear yard space open until 10 p.m.
