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A pub is bringing a “queer Irish sense of hospitality” to Greenpoint, Brooklyn!
The former One Stop Beer Shop (134 Kingsland Avenue), which ended its 12-year run on April 1, has reopened with new ownership, some colorful decor and a new ethos weeks later as Mary’s Bar, a new sibling to the 23-year-old Park Slope lesbian bar Ginger’s.
It opened quietly in late April and as Greenpoint’s only LGBTQ+ bar, the venue has already attracted a steady crowd.
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“It’s Irish hospitality, all about conversation, human connection, lasting or fleeting, but all really enjoyable,” says owner Brendan Donohoe. The bar is named after his mum, Mary, and has no TVs to encourage social interaction—be it with other patrons or a friendly bartender.
The corner bar offers ample covered outdoor seating, plus indoor tables and bar seating. The menu is your standard pub beverage list, with Dyke Beer Saison on tap, plus non-alcoholic options. Most drinks are under $10 in an effort to be affordable to anyone who wants to come have a beverage and enjoy the space. No food is served.
To create a safe space, Mary’s has a code of conduct posted at its entryway, banning non-consensual photography, harassment, discrimination and other actions that would invalidate the bar’s mission. The policy also encourages patrons to use gender-neutral language, refrain from assuming anyone’s pronouns and not ask intrusive questions to trans or nonbinary folks in the space.
In addition to Mary’s, North Brooklyn gained another queer bar in April, The Bush (333 Troutman St.), a “dyke bar for queers,” which is now open in Bushwick.
Currently, Mary’s opens at 5pm on weekdays and 2pm on weekends and stays open until the early hours. Mary’s is also on the lookout for queer musicians with traditional Irish music experience, for an upcoming trad music session. Donohoe is still decorating the bar, looking to celebrate queer Irish culture on the walls which may soon host Sinead O’Connor and David Bowie posters.
“It’s been an absolute joy to see what I can craft and create with a queer Irish sense of hospitality,” says Donohoe.
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