Like the original location of the Cock, a little farther up on Avenue A, International Bar has sat completely vacant since its owners died in 2002, prompting nostalgic reverie among passersby. It was the sort of quirky, homey saloon — peopled by a fun mix of neighborhood types who actually talked to each other, if only because of the intimacy of the narrow space — that you’d find in New Orleans. Shecky’s now reports that, on June 18, East Village musicians Molly Fitch and Shawn Dahl will finally reopen the place, bringing improvements such as a sink in the bathroom, six beers on tap, and the original mahogany-wood bar from the Raccoon Lodge that, chances are, will take about half a century to get as warped as the old one. We’ll be there opening night, breaking it in.
On Our Radar: International Bar [Shecky’s]
