Coney Island’s Ruby’s Bar Closes after 76 Years

For seventy-six years, Ruby’s Bar and Grill has been a Coney Island staple. It’s also been home to pirate-mermaid weddings, mermaid parade after-parties, and a timeline of photographs that date back as far as the bar does.

But this October, the family-owned bar received notice of eviction. The lease was taken over by Zamperla, an amusement corporation that hopes to glitz up the boardwalk and turn it into a cash cow. Hundreds of Ruby’s fans have signed a petition to keep the old bar going, but so far they’ve received no significant response from the city.

Not one for subtlety, Ruby’s went out with a bang this Saturday, with live bands playing almost round-the-clock and fans coming from all over New York to celebrate the memorable establishment that may soon be just a memory.