City Spotlight:: Raise a Glass to Literary Greenwich Village
Today Chumley's retains much of its Prohibition aesthetic, lacking any sort of signage above its front and side entrances and having a number of secret passageways. Rumor has it that the term "86" originated from Chumley's 86 Bedford Street address, and that the police would call the bar before a raid to inform the owner to "86" his customers, which meant that they should exit from the front onto Bedford Street while the police came in through the side entrance on Pamela Court.
Chumley closed its doors in 2007 due to a chimney collapse and is still working to reestablish itself as a bar in this residential Village block. An official opening date has not been set, though rumors suggest Chumley's may welcome patrons back in the coming year.
Ellen Harvey is a freelance writer and editor who covers the latest technologies and strategies reshaping the publishing landscape. She previously served as the Senior Editor at Publishing Executive and Book Business.