If I was ever in the Continental, 3rd Avenue and St. Mark’s Place, the memory has slipped between the cracks in my head as I don’t recall it. I do recall getting into arguments with my friend Gary (who is now in Minneapolis) about Yoko Ono’s singing voice and Miles Davis’ disdain for his audiences on this block, but I don’t remember if they were in the Continental or not.
What originally opened in 1991 and had been Continental Divide in 2006, a rock venue playing host to the likes of The Ramones and Iggy Pop later evolved into a “shots bar” you see in the photo. Along with the accompanying buildings, it was razed a few years ago and though I haven’t been by in a while, may still be an empty lot.
It hasn’t been without its troubles. The bar has filed for bankruptcy twice and was accused of a racist door policy back in 2010. [Owner Trigger] Smith writes in his letter that the door policy was always “strictly about dress code and vibe code,” noting that they “denied entry to more intoxicated, caucasian, bro types than any other group or race.” [Eater]
Smith noted that “It’s truly heartbreaking that we and so many Old Skool places are falling by the wayside but unless you own your building that’s how it goes.” And indeed, that corner of the East Village has seen many of its longtime tenants either move (as Trash & Vaudeville did in 2016 when its home on St. Mark’s Place sold for $10 million) or shutter their doors outright (as St. Mark’s Bookshop did, after a long fight and a move to Third Street). [Curbed]
As always, sick transit, Gloria!
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10/12/23
25 comments
The Continental was definitely open earlier than 2006. I used to go there in the late 90’s during college
They said it was opened before that. Smh
Nice piece thanks!
Fact check…I opened Continental in 1991 and hosted
live music there till 2006 and then turned it into a
“Classy Dive Bar” for the next twelve years.
There were 3 formal Complaints re our Door Policy.
All three were dismissed by the NYC Human Rights
Board after I suggested they choose 5 random dates of our surveillance footage of our entrance way. They observed that we turned away way more Caucasians than
people of color. This is documented.
I ran a tight ship. That’s how you last for 27 years.
Thx — I changed the date in the header
Can you bring it back? This was the first bar I went to when I moved to NYC in 2012. That corner is STILL being rebuilt. I think it was destroyed in that St. Mark’s gas leak explosion.
What a shame that the owner try to extort the landlord when he found out that his lease wasn’t getting renewed. I have the extortion letter to prove it. This guy was a problem from day one. Nothing but trouble! Thats why karma finally caught up with him.
Fuck the landlord!!! They’re all parasites killing the
city.
I remember this place I was 23/24 my coworkers took me their for my birthday… and this is where I had my first shots.. (I was really green) this place was really nice
I miss this place,played and hangout there many nights. New York was a different place back then.
If you’re talking about being across from the St Mark’s Hotel, then it’s still a lot according to Street View.
I remember that place from the early 70s when it had a different name but cant remember
now.I would put it in the same category as the Frog Pond on 9th st. or that other “establishment”
on 3rd st.They had something called a “Deep Throat Contest”on some nights.It seemed that it
was frequented by people who had long ago worn out their welcome in other parts of the city,
paricularly with landlords,and so had ended up at their final destination,the lower east side.
There is a kind of informal landlord grapevine you know.My people made frequent use of it.
trigger you were awesome, miss this spot
What was the deal with the Raiden hat bouncer? He was a jerk
That was trigger lol
Since the owner is “here,” I ask, was there a backyard connection between Continental and Coney Island High? Like, could a performer, or someone who had to, slip out the back of one to get to the back of the other, to avoid running into his fans or creditors? I know there was a situation like that between Siberia on West 40th St and that bar on Ninth Avenue, the Koala Club or whatever it was called.
I used to play Continental a lot with the Moths and Ape. Mid to late 90s, early aughts. I was pretty friendly with Noel, the sound guy who used to book us. He even booked Ape to do an afternoon matinee show regularly on weekends. Ran into to him years later doing sound for a Dinosaur Jr. show at Terminal 5. Hope he is doing well. Lots of good memories playing there.
Was this the site of the infamous GiGi Allen “attack” when he flung feces at the audience? I recall a good friends story about that night. Couldnt get in myself.. I was a brokester in 1990’s.. had tonsettle for a slice w pepperoni and a beer from the pizza joint actoss the street.
Check out Trigger’s recently opened NEW JOINT – TWO BRIDGES LUNCHEONETTE – 135 division St, NYC.
The Hottest new ‘hood in NYC. – “Dimes Square”. Trigger Smith is AUTHENTIC NEW YAWK.
The new place is GREAT. – OPEN TIL LATE.
CHECK IT OUT
There was another live music bar with a small stage that had tables and seats and served food on the same block, but I can’t remember its name. They levelled the venue and put up the McDonald’s there. My girlfriend at the time and I watched a band play there, and I ate pasta with muscles and clams, believe it or not. This was in about 1993. New York City has definitely lost its personality and vitality, or maybe it just all moved to Bushwick. Glenn in Flatbush, Brooklyn.
anarchy cafe
I loved this place. Saw some great ska shows there in the early 90s when I visit NYC before moving here in the late 90s.
Played the Continental when the stage was a tiny triangle in the corner. Watched Raging Slab play there as The Magic Pirates. Always had a fun time. Played
there in the 90’s in a band called The Living Daylights and was always treated well by Noel and staff. Just bought a painting from Bingo the bouncer last year. I had good times here – and never had a single problem.
Oh Noooo! From the comments, this place seems like a good time. I missed it, but still would like to go to a nice lil place like this. Where is the new spot or similar spot? Anybody please feel free to answer.
Crazy that so many people commenting on a page called forgotten New York seem to be landlord bootlickers. You all know have the reasons these places are forgotten is because of greedy parasite landlords pricing folks out, right?
I stopped there a lot for a drink on the way home, 7th & Ave C in the early 90s. My band played there in ‘91. The band after us, Immaculata-something, were these serious women who sang like sirens and had a following. The The folks at Continental were good people. Always took care of you.