"Hipsters" fleeing L-less Williamsburg, but at least Vice has free beer

The much-dreaded fifteen month L train shutdown is still eight months away, but the exodus has already begun. “Hipsters flee Williamsburg as L train shutdown approaches,” a NY Post headline proclaims, citing a study from StreetEasy that points to rent prices in the neighborhood dropping by hundreds of dollars to levels last seen in 2015, and rental inventory increasing by 25%. While it’s true that the looming shutdown is making Williamsburg a less attractive rental market to many, “hipsters” were arguably priced out years ago – to Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, and elsewhere.

Vice still has its headquarters in Williamsburg, though, in the former home of DIY venues Death by Audio, 285 Kent and Glassands, and the brand is throwing an upcoming party with free beer. As Bedford and Bowery point out, signs appeared in Williamsburg in the style of Vice’s “signature beer,” Old Blue Last, with the text “Beer for Farting” and a message to show up at Vice’s offices for a free can. According to Vice, over 100 people did just that on Monday, and while Vice was unprepared for the alleged prank at the time, it prompted them to announce a party at Villain (which they acquired earlier this year) on Friday (8/10) with free beer from 6-10 PM. RSVP is open.

Meanwhile, in preparation for its fifteen month shutdown, the L train will also shut down service between Brooklyn and Manhattan for an additional fifteen weekends, starting on Saturday (8/11). The other fourteen weekends include all of October 2018 and February 2019, as well as two weekends in November of 2018, three in March of 2019, and one in April, before the full shutdown presumably begins.