Die Hard East Village Lefties Protest Bowery Wine Co.

When it comes to turbo-gentrification, longtime East Village activist John Penley has drawn a line in the sand at the Bowery Wine Co.; the newish wine bar co-owned by actor Bruce Willis. Penley, who joined Jerry "the Peddler" Wade in pushing the Parks Department to permit this August’s concert commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Tompkins Square Park riots, not only objects to the “yuppie” wine bar’s sterile aesthetics but also Willis’s GOP support. A couple months back Penley announced plans to “roast a whole hog” named Bruce.

The Post has been getting plenty of mileage out of the drama, and why not; yesterday the tabloid gleefully noted that the New York Young Republican Club had held their monthly meeting at Bowery Wine Co. just to spite Penley, quoting one “juvenile GOPer” as saying, “We're going to fill his neighborhood whether he likes it or not. We're coming with briefcases and BlackBerrys in hand to stake our claim.” Welcome to the party, pal!

Now Penley's fired back by announcing a demonstration next Friday in front of Bowery Wine Co., where he will be joined by local “slacktivists” (Post’s term) in protesting the neighborhood’s “takeover by right-wing Republicans.” The demonstration will also call attention to the long legal battle between residents of the rent-stabilized tenement at 47 East Third Street and the landlord who would to evict them to turn the building into a one-family mansion.

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By John Del Signore in Food on June 6, 2008 11:00 AM

Comments [rss]

Matt Joyce

"If I wasn't already a rational anarchist, I'd be a proud republican."

sonyactivision

A wine bar for Republicunts? Will they have Earnest and Julio on tap?

jenspellnogood

success is relative. yes to them and their ilk it will be, but anyone with the slightest bit of interest in non pasteurized gathering places it will be radioactive. everybody deserves to live, let them fester amongst themselves.

snessnyc

#4 don't you know that the place will be a big success BECAUSE it is sterile and without character. if these young Repugnicans wanted anything with character they wouldn't be buying up the E. Village and sterilizing/neutering it beyond all recognition.

ANGRYGOD11

I doubt anyone will find any young Republicans around here the day after the draft is reinstituted for McCain's army. But, I'm sure they'll be drinking very good wine in Europe until that little problem is taken care of by Daddy's lawyers.

petebfd

@dr zippy

touché

dr zippy

"i'd take yuppie wine-drinking republicans over the club shirted fratboy beer swillers who generally populate the les on fri/sat nights"

What do you think those fratboy beer swillers will morph into in five years?

amsci

"If the economy crashes, I doubt his apartment will be $3k/mo."

Sure it will, and a wealthy young Euro will take it.

TKaisen

The "juvenile GOPer" will get his when the economy crashes and he can't afford his $3000/mo apartment.

If the economy crashes, I doubt his apartment will be $3k/mo.

JenChungsBaby

These things go in cycles. A wine bar now and a wino in 15 years. Which is worse? Just try to enjoy the middle when the pendulum swings.

Either way, this Penley guy sounds like he's really shooting himself in the foot here. He's giving the place more publicity and attracting a whole bunch of idiot mini-Republitards to boot.

Spirit of 76

The "juvenile GOPer" will get his when the economy crashes and he can't afford his $3000/mo apartment.

1987porsche944

Once CBGB's closed, the Bowery was lost anyway. At least we still have the Bowery Mission.

stereotypical

#7 I totally agree.

Snoopy

Isn't there a law against walking on other people's car roofs?

Shouldn't Tatum O'Neal have a say in this?

petebfd

yeah, just forget it, manhattan is lost anyways.

but, hey, i'd take yuppie wine-drinking republicans over the club shirted fratboy beer swillers who generally populate the les on fri/sat nights.

Politburo

What a moron.

Guest

@kissel, I'm also an independent. I would NEVER vote for the Democraps or Republicants.

jenspellnogood

you're all being played; willis doesn't own shit, they pay him to say so and to use his publicist. don't you idiots realize how much business this publicity will generate for them? all politics aside, the place sucks because it's so sterile and without character - it would die its own death, and only attract the young republicans if you'd leave it be. at least it would keep them out of the rest of the neighborhood joints.

kissel

as an independent, i wouldn't be too proud of someone calling themselves a democrat either... just look at the wonderful congress we voted in. Its just as bad as the last one and even 'porkier'.