A beloved saloon in Woodhaven celebrated a milestone with a vibrant display of neighborhood pride.
On Saturday, Oct. 4, Loycent Gordon, the owner of Neir’s Tavern, hosted the 196th anniversary block party from noon to 6 p.m., inviting neighbors to a day-long celebration of solidarity with what is believed to be the oldest tavern in New York City. Sponsored by The Kiwanis Club of Ozone Park-Woodhaven, the annual occasion highlighted the power of community in preserving beloved local venues.
Located at 87-48 78th St., the iconic corner came alive with hundreds of patrons interacting with vendors, including the Woodhaven Art Circle and Cub Scouts. State Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo and Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar were also in attendance, showcasing their support for the historic establishment.
“It’s stood the test of time. It’s fought back, time and time again, and that’s what we do,” Addabbo said. “When we live in Woodhaven, we fight back, whenever a challenge faces us.”
Rajkumar expressed her enthusiasm as a native elected official from the storied enclave. “As the first representative from Woodhaven in a generation, it always fills me with pride to come to Neir’s,” Rajkumar said.
Along the stretch of 88th Avenue, the community event offered lively family-friendly activities, including face painting, ring toss games, an NYPD robot dog demonstration, the Goodfellas Challenge, a photo challenge encouraging attendees to recreate the famous bar scene from the film “Goodfellas”, and live dance performances from The Kingdom Dance Company.
This year, Neir’s Tavern held the 2025 Ambassador Award Ceremony to acknowledge a well-deserved roster of community advocates who best reflect the resiliency of Woodhaven: Margie Schmidt, the owner of nearly century-old Schmidt’s Candy, Congress Member Nydia Velásquez, Magee Hickey, a PIX11 reporter, Liam Castro, Jennifer Ilerardi and Chris Dudin.
Johnathan Betancourt, a community liaison and district representative for Velásquez, honored Gordon with an American flag flown over the United States Capitol on Wednesday, Sept. 10, “to celebrate the 196th anniversary of Neir’s Tavern,” Betancourt said to the energized crowd.
Dr. Sandra Lindsay, the vice president of Public Health Advocacy at Northwell Health and healthcare advocate, addressed the crowd as the tavern’s distinguished guest speaker. Dr. Lindsay is widely remembered as “the first person in the U.S. to receive the COVID-19 vaccine outside of a clinical trial,” as stated on her biography page. The Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient congratulated Gordon on his legacy, noting a shared sentiment for public service.
“You’ve kept these doors open, not just to serve food and drink, but to serve connection, to give people a place to gather, to laugh, to belong,” Dr. Lindsay said.
Starting from his initial years as the owner of Neir’s Tavern, Gordon has developed a reputation as a community leader. In the past decade following the COVID-19 pandemic, Gordon has built anticipation for the landmark’s bicentennial — a rare milestone that is not commonly celebrated in the small business scene — by instilling a sense of local pride in residents.
For Neir’s Tavern to march toward its 200th year and beyond, Gordon believes that it must be accomplished through a collaborative effort with his fellow neighbors. Hence, the stewardship theme for this year’s block party. Gordon later announced that applications will open for those interested in joining The Neir’s Ambassadors Program to conserve the Queens saloon.
“The next journey of Neir’s Tavern is not me carrying the load,” Gordon shared. “It’s about each one of us being a steward for what Neir’s Tavern represents. That’s the only way to get to 200, because that’s why I always say community does conquer all.”
Edward Wendell, a renowned Woodhaven historian and columnist for the Leader/Observer, praised Gordon’s devoted efforts to create a thriving family of patrons and volunteers.
“I remember [10 or 15 years ago] when he was talking about it, it was just this idea. I knew how tough it [would] be because you have to really inspire people, and sometimes it’s very difficult to inspire people. Yet that’s exactly what he did.”
John Colpitts, a local musician who has performed with professional ensembles Man Forever and Oneida, wanted to support Gordon’s selfless mission to connect with the neighborhood. “You can feel the energy, the hard work behind how he presents to the community,” Colpitts said. “He’s clearly in it for the love.”
Richard Salmon, the president of the Neir’s Tavern Ambassadors Club, recalled stumbling on the tavern “almost 12 years ago,” kicking off a lasting friendship with Gordon and the Neir’s Tavern community. Salmon described the close-knit ambiance that exists within the walls of the watering hole, adding that the employees “make you feel like family.”
When asked about the overall message of the 196th anniversary block party, Salmon advised supporting small businesses. “Those are the types of establishments that have to fight day in and day out to [stay] open,” Salmon said.
With the fortitude and enthusiasm of residents to cement themselves into Queens’ history, Neir’s Tavern will move past survival mode and charge towards collective action. Community conquers all, as one would say.
“Keep Neir’s the soul of the community, because our success, I believe, should be your success,” Gordon exclaimed over the shouts and cheers that proudly filled the air.
