Astoria, Bars Jan 24, 2018 New Bar to Open on 31st Ave in Astoria Could this be the new Croatian bar in Astoria? Share this Scoop by Meg Cotner total shares! Twitter Facebook Email Print Could this be the new Croatian bar in Astoria? by Meg Cotner Share this Scoop total shares! Twitter Facebook Email Print We got a tip the other day about activity in a space that’s been empty for a while on 31st Avenue: “Permits posted outside of what was once a old Greek social club on 31st Avenue between 35th and 36th Street on the North side to convert it into an eating and drinking establishment. Asked a couple of dudes hauling out the old ceiling tiles for more info but they didn’t have any. Besides that and the awning material being ripped off haven’t seen any other action.” A little research indicates that 35-07 31st Avenue was home to a number of things—the Panathinaikos F.C., a Greek football (soccer) club that originally hails from Athens; the Pan Samian Brotherhood (Pythagoras) of New York; and the New York Construction Company. No doubt it was home to a variety of other thing in previous decades. Looking into the Department of Buildings records, it appears that plans started around last September to convert the space from a “store” to an “eating and drinking establishment.” The point person is Tomislav Kajic, who is leasing the space. He also does some bartending at a local watering hole Daly’s Pub on 31st Street. I was reading about the closing of Scorpio, the 20-year-old cafe and bar on Broadway that served as a meeting and community space for many in the Astoria Croatian community—-many lamented its closing back at the start of 2017; it’s now home to Madam Marie’s, which couldn’t be more different from a Croatian bar/pub. Perhaps Kajic will be the one to bring to Astoria a new gathering spot for the remaining Croatian community. Right now the name of the place is essentially just a placeholder—35-07 RSRT LLC. That section of 31st Ave is full of wonderful businesses—Il Bambino, the original Bareburger, Djerdan Bureks, Diamond Dogs, Milkflower, Enthaice. The bar has been set rather high by by them and we hope whatever this location becomes will meet those high standards. Neighbors hope the place will complement what’s already there, and are looking forward to welcoming them to this lovely tree-lined stretch in Astoria. We will update this story when we learn new information about it. Twitter Facebook Email Print 35-07 31st AvebarCroatianScorpio About Meg Cotner Meg Cotner was trained as a harpsichordist and now works as a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of "Food Lovers' Guide to Queens," and is a skilled and avid home cook, baker, and preserver. 2 Comments Ivana April 25th, 2018 I stumbled across this article and want to point out that prior to Cafe bar Scorpio’s closing party in Jan 2017, it was opneed for 20 years, not 2. They had a 20 year lease. Reply Meg Cotner April 27th, 2018 Thank you so much, Ivana – that was definitely a typo. I’ve fixed it to reflect the 20 years. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Ivana April 25th, 2018 I stumbled across this article and want to point out that prior to Cafe bar Scorpio’s closing party in Jan 2017, it was opneed for 20 years, not 2. They had a 20 year lease. Reply
Meg Cotner April 27th, 2018 Thank you so much, Ivana – that was definitely a typo. I’ve fixed it to reflect the 20 years. Reply