Saint Vitus Bar in 2023 (Photo by Mikeyfrecks, Creative Commons)
Saint Vitus, a ‘real f—ing rock bar’ in Greenpoint, has closed for good
The venue was temporarily shut down in February over permitting issues, but now its closure is official according to its owners
Saint Vitus, a rambunctious and beloved metal bar in Greenpoint for the past 13 years, has closed for good.
The owners made the announcement on this Instagram, with a post showing them sitting in the empty club. “Thank you to everyone who was a part of it,” the caption said, along with a nod that it’s not completely closed: “Saint Vitus Bar to be continued…”
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Saint Vitus has actually been out of operation for a while, having been shut down by — while a band was still on stage — for not having proper permits. The city said it was operating as an “illegal eating and drinking establishment” and that its owners hadn’t taken steps to bring it up to code.
Since then, it’s been booking bands under the “Saint Vitus Presents” moniker and that appears to be unaffected by the establishment closures, its website shows.
Saint Vitus, a reference to a Black Sabbath song, described itself as a “real f—ing ROCK BAR!” when it first opened and it has hosted a number of legends over the years, including the surviving members of Nirvana, Joan Jett and Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon.
Tributes to Saint Vitus poured in on its Instagram. “Damn this is such a blow, Saint Vitus was our absolute favorite venue in town, this is so fucked, NYC has lost the most important alternative/heavy music venue, RIP Vitus, we love you,” one wrote. “We are here for you in whatever comes next,” another added.
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