East Village dive bar Manitoba's has closed

Manitoba’s, the East Village dive bar owned by Handsome Dick Manitoba of The Dictators, has closed. Tuesday (6/25) was their last night in business as Manitoba confirmed to EV Grieve, calling it a “great disappointment that after 20 years I couldn’t keep my bar going in spite of my age — as young and strong as I am” but said that Manitoba’s website would stay up.

The bar, which opened at 99 Ave B in 1999, has struggled in the last few years and almost closed in 2015 before being saved by a crowdfunding campaign. “In spite of the fact that we’ve closed, we know that people from all over America and all over the world have excitedly entered our doors for 20 years,” Manitoba told EV Grieve. “This wasn’t a ‘bar’ to them. It was a special, relaxed home away from home.”

The East Village won’t be the same without you, Manitoba’s.