CHINATOWN — Beloved neighborhood karaoke joint Winnie's Bar, which closed in 2015 after 28 years in business, plans to reopen in a new Chinatown space.
Over a year after shuttering its longtime digs at 104 Bayard St. due to issues with the lease, Winnie's management is now seeking a full liquor license for a spot at 58 East Broadway, according to an application on file with the local community board, which says the bar will include karaoke and a full food menu.
The principal listed on the now-expired liquor license for the Bayard Street location, Ching Mei Mui, is also the principal on the newly filed application.
When the beloved dive closed its doors, loyal employees and diehard regulars of the neighborhood staple mourned the loss of a cultural icon, which was declared the “Best Karaoke Bar” in the city by the Village Voice in 2009.
Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou worked as a bartender and DJ at the hotspot before making history as the first Asian-American to represent any district in Manhattan, and counted herself among the bar's many fans.
The attorney representing Winnie's did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The application for a liquor license will be heard before Community Board 3's State Liquor Authority subcommittee on Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at 10 Stanton St. After the subcommittee and full board vote on the application, the SLA will decide whether it gets the license to serve booze.
The comeback was first reported by Bowery Boogie.
