By June 2016, he officially opened Alibi Lounge’s doors. Though Minko’s primary career was in law, he had experience opening bars in partnership with others.
“ I walked about 20, 30, blocks, and I didn’t see anything that represented the LGBT image whatsoever.” I fell in love with my street,” Minko said. Minko, who is originally from Gabon, opened Alibi after moving to the neighborhood in 2015. The Harlem-based establishment is reportedly the last Black-owned gay bar in New York City.
“I was wondering, was it worth it?”īut after a prolific GoFundMe campaign and what he describes as a renewed sense of responsibility, Minko said Alibi Lounge is thriving, even in the middle of a pandemic. “I was 75% done with the business,” Minko said to NowThis. (The PCR test results are sent to customers once they’re processed.When the coronavirus temporarily shuttered businesses across the country, Alexi Minko was nearly ready to give up on his bar, Alibi Lounge. And not only have wait times peaked at just 40 minutes, but the tested can wait for their rapid results in outdoor cabanas while a cocktail waitress takes drink orders. to midnight Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and 6 p.m. So far, just under 400 people have been tested at the pub’s new clinic, which holds slightly shorter hours than the 30-year-old bar (6 p.m. 30 and is open to all, even those not looking to chase their test with a drink, Curbed reported.įor those who are looking to get Q-tipsy, though, the experience pairs wonderfully with the Cough Drop, a custom cocktail creation by one of Henrietta’s bartenders involving Jameson whiskey and lemon juice. The walk-in clinic (which also offers the ability to pre-register online) has been operating outside the Hudson Street watering hole since Dec. “We’re basically a pop-up testing station with in-house swabbers.”Ĭity Testing Services did not return The Post’s request for comment.Ĭabanas outside the establishment, where patrons can drink and wait on rapid test results. “I thought I was gonna have to sell it, but there was no hesitation,” said Cannistraci of asking her employees to start slinging assays. Working the bar’s new testing center is its own staff, seven of whom have now become certified nostril stirrers.
She came up with it after the Omicron variant began sweeping the city last month and quickly moved to partner with the federally funded community outreach initiative City Testing Services, which provides and processes Henrietta Hudson patrons’ tests at no cost to the bar.Īnd don’t expect to see scrubs-clad nurses administering the swabs. “Owning a business in New York, you can’t just sit back and pass blame, you gotta figure s – – t out,” Lisa Cannistraci told The Post of the pioneering initiative. The bar - one of New York City’s three remaining lesbian bars - now requires patrons get two no-cost schnoz swabs before entering, one for a PCR test and the other a rapid antigen test.
#OW BAR GAY BAR NYC FREE#
The West Village’s Henrietta Hudson bar has found a way to make COVID-scared customers feel safe drinking indoors by requiring - and giving - free coronavirus tests at the door. NYC workers lag US in returning to office over fears of subway crime, COVIDĪdams, Hochul announce panel to reboot NYC economy post-COVIDįinally, a pandemic-worthy happy hour special: A beer and a swab. Make sure to keep your mask on while you shoot up!