Jan. 3, 2017 By Hannah Wulkan
A new local hangout has set up shop in Astoria.
Joe’s Garage Bar opened last Thursday at 45-01 23rd Avenue, offering 16 craft beers on tap, a large range of liquor, and late night bites.
“We thought it would be cool to have a place that anyone can hang out in, blue collar, white collar, older, younger, we wanted to make it so anyone would feel comfortable here and make it homey,” said Gloria Salvio, co-manager of the bar and daughter of owner Joe Salvio.
Joe Salvio got the idea to open the bar after working down the block at his auto body shop, Joe Sal Auto Body, for over 30 years. About two years ago, he decided to open up the bar because there weren’t any local hangouts in the immediate area, Gloria said.
Plans really kicked in to gear over the summer, however, when Gloria quit her job at a day spa to take over the renovation and opening, along with her co-manager Bobby Byrnes.
Open from noon to 4 a.m. daily, the bar focuses on craft beers, with 16 different options on tap, including some from local breweries such as Singlecut and Brooklyn Brewery among others, as well as brews from outside the state.
The kitchen offers bar pies, wings, and other bar staples, and serves food until closing at 4 a.m.
Though open for less than a week, the bar has already been very popular with the locals, Gloria said.
“We had a great turnout for first weekend, and heard great feedback from everyone that came in,” she said.
“People who live nearby said it is just what they were looking for because there’s nothing really over here that people can go to without walking pretty far. It’s off the beaten path and it means people who come in can stay a while and relax.”
While designing the bar, the two were careful not to make it exclusionary, not wanting to pigeonhole it as a sports bar or biker bar, but opting instead to have a comfortable environment for everyone, Byrnes explained.
The industrial design of the bar is based around Joe’s longtime experience working with cars, as well as the history of the building, which was once a soap factory and later a materials handling building.
The Salvios and Byrnes added a pool table and several arcade games and decorated the bar with beer signs and other paraphernalia. Nevertheless, they have maintained a very open environment, in the hopes of also hosting events and private parties.
Gloria said she is also hoping to begin an annual block party outside the bar, with an old car show and local vendors in the hopes of bringing the community together.
For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/JoesGarageAstoria.
