{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/8s4jm23s30/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["What Shapes Our Communities: Neir's Tavern"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/010/original/Aviary_QPLlogo_192x192.png?1578574261","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSummary of Full Interview\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eInterviewer Jo-Ann Wong speaks with Loycent Gordon, the owner of Neir's Tavern. Opened in Woodhaven in 1829, Neir's Tavern is one of the oldest bars in New York City and has become a center of community for its neighbors. The bar's community has rallied together to ensure that Neir's Tavern lives on to see its 200th anniversary, and beyond.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eGordon speaks about the history of Neir's Tavern's (including its historical connections to the movie Goodfellas, Hollywood icon Mae West, and the Union Course Racetrack), its function as a community gathering place over several generations, and how community support rescued the bar from going out of business in January 2020. Gordon also discusses the challenges and rewards of owning Neir's Tavern, changes in day-to-day operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and ways to support the bar through the pandemic and toward its 200th anniversary.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eCopyright held by: Queens Borough Public Library\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Source Metadata URI"]},"value":{"en":["http://digitalarchives.queenslibrary.org/search/browse/44483"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2020-07-16 (created)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["Video"]}},{"label":{"en":["Agent"]},"value":{"en":["Jo-Ann Wong (Interviewer)","Loycent Gordon (Interviewee)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Source"]},"value":{"en":["This interview is part of the Queens Memory COVID-19 Project's video series, highlighting local businesses, organizations, and artists that contribute and are integral to our local communities."]}},{"label":{"en":["Coverage"]},"value":{"en":["2009-2020 (temporal)","Woodhaven, Queens, NY (spatial)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["English (primary)"]}}],"summary":{"en":["\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSummary of Full Interview\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eInterviewer Jo-Ann Wong speaks with Loycent Gordon, the owner of Neir's Tavern. Opened in Woodhaven in 1829, Neir's Tavern is one of the oldest bars in New York City and has become a center of community for its neighbors. The bar's community has rallied together to ensure that Neir's Tavern lives on to see its 200th anniversary, and beyond.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eGordon speaks about the history of Neir's Tavern's (including its historical connections to the movie Goodfellas, Hollywood icon Mae West, and the Union Course Racetrack), its function as a community gathering place over several generations, and how community support rescued the bar from going out of business in January 2020. Gordon also discusses the challenges and rewards of owning Neir's Tavern, changes in day-to-day operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and ways to support the bar through the pandemic and toward its 200th anniversary.\u003c/p\u003e"]},"requiredStatement":{"label":{"en":["Attribution"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eCopyright held by: Queens Borough Public Library\u003c/p\u003e"]}},"provider":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["Queens Public Library"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["Queens Public Library"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/010/original/Aviary_QPLlogo_192x192.png?1578574261","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/096/221/small/WSOC2.jpg?1597834466","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - Loycent_Gordon__Neir's_Tavern_8-18-2020.mp4"]},"duration":3707.69065,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/096/221/small/WSOC2.jpg?1597834466","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-queenslibrary.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/096/221/original/Loycent_Gordon__Neir's_Tavern_8-18-2020.mp4?1597779084","type":"Video","format":"video/mp4","duration":3707.69065,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Full Transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=0.0,22.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: Hello everyone. Today we have with us Loycent Gordon, the owner of Neir's Tavern. Opened in Woodhaven in 1829, Neir's Tavern is one of the oldest bars in New York City. It's become a center of community for its neighbors. Having faced with potential shutdowns in the past, this bar's community has rallied together to ensure that Neir's Tavern lives on to see its 200th anniversary and beyond. Let's start specifically with the history of Neir's Tavern and its famous tagline. Why is it known as \"the most famous bar you've never heard of?\"","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=22.0,57.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: That is actually really telling in itself, because it feels like so many people should know about it, but it's not. It has been located in this place, this community, for so long, and hidden, and it's tucked away, and there's no other complimentary commercial residences around. It's gotten that name because of everything that has happened over the past 190 years, between Goodfellas, and the horse racing track, Anthony Bourdain, Mae West, and so much history that's here. You'd think that after 190 years, everyone knows about it, but they don't. It's one of the most, well I say, the most famous bar you've never heard of, because so many people are still discovering it every day.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=57.0,120.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: Going off of its movie history, Goodfellas is a really gigantic movie. It's part of movie canon and, correct me if I'm wrong, but they said a good, like 14 percent of the movie was filmed in Neir's Tavern?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=120.0,138.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Some people just know about the, after Lufthansa heist, there was a mink coat. Everyone came with a mink coat and after they all split up the big million. One of the largest heists in history was the Lufthansa heist. That's what the movie was based off of. After the big heist in the movie, they came back to Neir's Tavern and everybody remember that famous scene when Robert De Nero is telling all these gang members that use the money to buy fancy stuff, like, \"What I tell you? Don't buy anything! You're going to get us pinched.\" They come in with the mink coat, a pink Cadillac outside. And they're saying, \"It's my mother, I put it under my mother's name.\" All of this stuff that's happened and Goodfellas went down in history as probably the top two, I heard top movie, gangster movie, of the nineties.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=138.0,189.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: That movie was filmed here, but not just that scene—but there was tons of other scenes that most people don't even recognize that was actually filmed here. Once you come to Neir's Tavern and come here enough, you start to put those other pieces together. That's why you might see one or two scenes that everybody knows, that was filmed here, but there's so many other scenes that was filmed there. When you put all that together, it equals about, I started counting it, 14 percent of the movie, and it's a long movie. They really loved filming at this location.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=189.0,227.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: It's lovely because, we have Goodfellas, that's fairly recent, I guess you can say, but it goes back to Mae West. For people who don't know who Mae West is, can you explain who Mae West is and what is her connection to Neir's Tavern?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=227.0,245.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Mae West is one of those controversial figures. It's not only just Goodfellas, entertainment-wise and film-wise, but also Mae West, which was an iconic figure. They called her, at least I call her, the queen of sex. She had this strong feminist thing about her. Back in the early twenties, for a woman to have such power and be able to speak out in that fashion, she had to have something special, some kind of talent. If you look back at some of the history of her, Mae West, she lived in Woodhaven. She lived in Woodhaven at a very young age, and we also have a ballroom that's located, attached to Neir's Tavern that were part of the whole Neir's social hall, entertainment complex, along with the bar.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=245.0,299.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Neir's Tavern and that ballroom was known as the place to go to perform. So many people, customers and generational customers tell stories about little Mae West walking around in the neighborhood and visiting the ballroom and getting her start there, and all these testimonies. We learned that Mae West got her start over here in this beautiful ballroom that unfortunately is no longer here. But that's what we started getting more and more [unclear]. She became the queen of sex. She even got arrested just to mention, sex and sex-explicit type of things in her plays. She picked her own leading man, which, back then, that was like, \"What? No, no, no. Leading man pick you.\" She like, \"No, honey, I'm picking my own leading man.\" And she had really great lines. She was so funny.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=299.0,357.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/10","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: One of them, \"Is that a pistol in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?\" I'm here, like, \"Oh my God,\" you know? But she would get arrested for things like that back in the days. Nowadays, you say that, so what? It's nothing. But back then, it was very risky. She led the charge for women to speak out and pick their own leading man and write their own plays and become this force. When I say she's the queen of sex, she was the original, before Marilyn Monroe, before Anna Nicole [Smith], before the Kim Kardashians and all this. It was Mae West, but she led it with power, beauty, and grace for a woman of her time. We celebrate her and I'm so happy that she was part of Neir's Tavern history. This is a picture of her here [pans camera to wall]. So it's the little picture we have hanging up here. We call this the Mae West booth. Her birthday, we celebrate it every year, August 17th here at Neir's Tavern.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=357.0,421.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/11","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: If I'm not mistaken, you guys have a burger named after her, right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=421.0,425.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/12","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Yeah. We had an interesting burger that we used to sell a lot. We did some reorganization and I think we wanted to do something different for her. We had mushroom and things like that on it, but we re-strategized. We're going to try to find another way to really honor, even better than that. She's had beauty and grace, but she also had a side of the spunkiness, we gotta find something we can do. But we do have the Mae West punch drink. You can have the punch.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=425.0,457.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/13","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: Going back to something you had mentioned. You had mentioned generations and generations of families come in. They talk about their family and community's history with this specific tavern. When we talk about generation after generation, you guys have been in the same location for 190 years, which both you and I know in New York City, for a business to stay in the same location for that long, it's very rare to hear. From your perspective, how is the business able to do that? How involved is it with the community and keeping things like this business and location alive?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=457.0,502.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/14","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: That's the multi-billion dollar question. How does all business reach 190 years, right? When typical businesses, they say they have a very low chance to, 70 percent of small business fail within the first five years. It's just crazy abysmal. The billion dollar question you ask is, \"How do every restaurant bars in great places last 190 years?\" I can't tell you that I know all the answers, but I could kind of summarize some of the basic fundamentals I think it's very important for all these businesses follow. It's not guaranteed, but at least, I think it gives a better shot. One thing I've noticed, and started looking back, and even the generations that's told me that their great grandmother used to come in Neir's Tavern or their great, great aunt.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=502.0,556.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/15","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: They pass this information down and here's this great, this niece or nephew, so many generations removed from the original people that came here and their family. It's the same thing. It's always been this community gathering place, right? Although there's so many fancy burgers, and fancy this, and new places, and it's bright and shiny, has the latest foosball table or whatever the latest thing is, or fidget spinners or something, which is great. The fundamentals never to change—it's always been a community gathering place. One of the things that, strategies has always been with Neir's Tavern over these years, that all businesses try to practice, and I'm still trying to perfect it, is to make sure that we always reconnect and reflect the community we serve. So, meaning that the neighborhood is going to change, right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=556.0,612.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/16","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: We started out with a different German, Irish type of makeup, and those types of immigrants. Then we started moving. The neighborhood became more diverse. Now it's over 55 percent Hispanic Latinos. That German, Irish is just a small part of it. How do you stay vibrant? How do you stay alive? You connect and reflect the community. Whatever is outside of our doors, we need to make sure that reflected inside Neir's Tavern. We have this symbiotic relationship that's just very organic. We've done that through various activities to make sure that we were not in a silo, right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=612.0,658.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/17","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Once you become a silo, you're disconnected from the community, it is so much harder to a local bar that's not in the main drag. It's literally like three blocks off the main, there's no other businesses. We start doing that and make sure reflecting it, I think it helps our case because those people that understand the value of places like this will come, and they come, and then they can reflect and say, my grandmother or my parents, or my whatever used to come here. Now I'm also coming here, sitting in their seat, having their favorite cocktail or burger, or something like that.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=658.0,699.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/18","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: I think part of that strategy is, how do you last 190 years, which—it's not a science, it's an art—of making sure we connect and reflect the community we serve. If you able to do that, whatever which way your business operates, I think we have a better chance of those, unfortunately, 70 percent of small business fail within the five years. That's what we've been trying to do, and we do it in different ways as well, we'll talk about.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=699.0,731.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/19","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: Talking about how you guys have evolved with your community, Neir's Tavern started as off the Union [Course] Racetrack, if I'm not mistaken, right? I heard that there was a bowling alley at one point in there?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=731.0,745.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/20","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: The very reason why Neir's Tavern even existed in the first place is because of this racetrack. If you look at our logo, the essence of it, it reflects two important things on there. One is the racetrack, and the other one is the word Neir or Neir's. I'll talk about that, but the racetrack, like you mentioned, is the single most important thing in terms of Neir's Tavern starting up and even existing today. Because without the racetrack, Neir's Tavern would have never started, meaning that the racetrack was the most famous racetrack in the 1800s. Northern champion horses used to race the Southern champion horses. Back in the 1800s, the country was divided.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=745.0,799.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/21","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: It was really getting cantankerous, the two sides, and then obviously end up in civil war. When these horses used to race, the champion horse from the South and all the crowd would come and cheer for them. The champion horse from the North used to come. So they said the city of New York was empty. There was over a hundred thousand people at one point in one of these races. You have these two factions. Businessman decided, well, we have a place here, let's open a bar. So he opened a bar which was called The Blue Pump Room, back in October 1829 to take advantage of the racetrack crowd.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=799.0,841.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/22","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: That's how Neir's Tavern got started. That's why that racetrack is so pivotal. Now, it's all gone now. Neir's Tavern is the only real historical place that's reflecting and connecting that history. Once we're gone, a lot of that history will probably be gone, and I hope we're never gone. That's why the racetrack was so important to us and that's why we had that racetrack emblem in there [unclear]. The other part of it is the Neir family, who took it over in 1898 when, unfortunately, racetrack had to close. They used the track as a Civil War soldier encampment. Soldiers used to stay there until they get shipped down to fight the Southerners. That's what it was used for.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=841.0,887.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/23","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: It just got really, really bad. The bar, I mean, they talk about it. It was really bad, like gunslingers and crazy stuff, like those Western? That's how it was until the Neir family took it over and make it Neir's Social Hall. That's why we got the ballroom, we got the bowling alley, we got the bar, we had a catering hall upstairs, and it was this Neir's Social Hall. That started the whole beginning of another generational, another vision for Neir's Tavern that took us over to here, now.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=887.0,923.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/24","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: Speaking of Neir's, which is the name of your business, Neir's Tavern. Like you mentioned, the bar has originally gone under The Blue Pump Room, that changed into the Old Abbey, and then it turned into Neir's, and then turned to Union Course Tavern. There's so many name changes over the years. Why did you specifically choose to go back to Neir's Tavern as the name of your bar?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=923.0,950.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/25","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: I could have named it Loys Tavern, Gordon's Hideout. I don't know. I think it was important to go back to the family that had it the longest, that took reins of something that was unfortunately broken down back then, that was filled with violence, that was filled with negativity, and created a community space which goes back to our core value of creating a community gathering place. They created all of these entertainment, this ballroom, the food, the catering hall, where people had their beautiful weddings. The community came together because of that and because of the Neir family. And they kept it for generations in their family up until 1967, which is a long time, you know? When they changed it to Union Course and all these different names, I thought it was important to go back to the family that created community gathering place and held it the longest generationally.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=950.0,1017.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/26","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: That is more of an honor, honoring them and their efforts, than me just come in taking it over and name it, you know, Gordon's or Loy's Hideaway. Maybe it could work, but [laughter] that was a reasoning to bringing back to what has worked, a community gathering place, the social place that you feel like you're welcome, you feel like family, you feel like friends. Hopefully, that's the vision that other people would be able to get under and say, you know what, this one place, let's try to be good to each other. There's so many different [unclear] and different things, but let's just have this one place, which so old, reflects our values, and see if we could talk and it'd be nice.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1017.0,1066.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/27","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: And especially, like you mentioned, community is such a big part of local bars and taverns. It's always nice when, especially in local businesses, you can walk up to the person behind the counter, be like, \"Hey, how are you doing?\" Like, \"How's your life going?\" There's that relationship that you guys built up. I did want to ask, you joined into the Neir's Tavern family in 2009 when you bought over the business. What were you doing prior to 2009?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1066.0,1100.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/28","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: What I'm still doing now is the same thing. I'm running into burning buildings for a living [laughter]. As crazy as I was trying to take over a bar that was days from closing down, and not knowing how to run these things, I was also crazy enough to take employment running into burning buildings and being a firefighter. That's what I was doing. I guess it's the savior mentality. That's what I did then, and that's what I'm doing now. I thought it was important to stop for a second because I'm an immigrant. The reason why I took it over was, really, an effort to give back to a country that gave me so much. When I came here as a very young age, unfortunately, I didn't have a lot of resources meaning, let's just say I was dead broke.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1100.0,1160.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/29","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: We were all—family didn't have much. I'll spare you the details, but let's just say that a community of Queens people, of school teachers, of all of these different resources, came together and was able to give me a foundation to do whatever I want with. I was able to use that platform to stand on the shoulders of giants and see what I can do for myself and my family. I found my wife in Queens and all my education, my first job, and obviously now serving the city as a firefighter.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1160.0,1203.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/30","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: I figured, what a great way to try to give back to a city by trying to save one of New York City's oldest bars and discovered later on, it is on a certain definition, the oldest bar in New York City, when it was three days from closing down. Let me try this thing. So that's what I was doing. This is what I'm doing now. I'm still trying to find a sustainable solution for Neir's Tavern. The journey seems like it never ends, but we keep holding on. At least we got another 11 years added to it. This year we'll be 191, coming October.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1203.0,1245.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/31","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: Going off of that, in 2009, when you bought the business, they were thinking of turning into a bodega, and then in January 2020, your business was faced with again, with potential shut down and with rent increases. So for people who don't know, describe what that whole situation was. What I find was the most beautiful learning about was how much the community rallied behind you. If you could talk about both of those, that'd be great.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1245.0,1278.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/32","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: That's one of the most defining moments out of the 11 years that I've owned Neir's Tavern, that I'll never forget. It said a lot. Unfortunately, as business owners, all local business owners, the ones that you go to, to do your hair, do your nails, to buy your groceries from, hardware store, all of those things, we all suffer in silence, right?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1278.0,1307.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/33","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: We don't want to bother other people with our problems. That's just the way it is. We just do it. We just like to serve others. When I was faced with the building sold without me knowing, and having an opportunity to figure out if I could buy it or not, we were left naked with no lease. The landlord decided that, obviously, let's jack up the rent, and that rent, we preached to him, was not only not market rate, it was predatory.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1307.0,1340.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/34","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: With that rent, if you stick to it, we'll have to close because we're going to be bleeding cash. For the entire 2019, we were fighting back and forth silently and we're bleeding cash. We're like bleeding until January. Literally, we were running out of cash by Sunday, January 12th. We're literally gonna run out of cash and not able to pay our staff anymore. I was faced with that, only a couple of days from closing and letting people know. That resonated with the audience and people that had that generational history, that had that connection with Neir's Tavern says, \"You know what? I've been busy. I've been meaning to come to Neir's Tavern. I've been meaning to one day.\" I keep hearing da-da-da-da-da-da and I haven't come.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1340.0,1394.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/35","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Now, it's only a couple of days from disappearing. We need to do something. We need to do something, turned from that to actually people started tweeting stuff, re-sharing, reaching out to city officials, community leaders. Everybody was contributing, whether it's a small phone call, a tweet, a text, or something to find some way of helping. It was the most amazing experience that I've seen, until, you know, the mayor of New York City showed up and said, \"I'm also with saving Neir's Tavern.\" And it's not just 'also,' but I'm going to show up and we're going to see if we can come to a deal. And we did. We came to a deal that was more equitable for the building owner and Neir's Tavern that we could have done all along before this happened.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1394.0,1449.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/36","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: It took all of this community coming together, to both parties sit down and make it happen, and the mayor sealing the deal with a grant. It was the most amazing experience. I looked up the night off, the mayor was here and we had thousands of people. Obviously, they all couldn't fit in the bar. The street was packed. The street was just shut down. It looked like one of those 10,000 person protests to shut the whole street down. It was an amazing experience. We took that and started working on the details of the lease and try to get it—it was just a handshake deal, but it saved us. And I'm telling you that if I had 10 percent of those people come back at least once a week, Neir's Tavern would have nothing to worry about. But then the pandemic hit. Everybody [unclear] on the pandemic, we closed down, and now we're trying to reopen and see if we can do the next save. The next save. That's the point we're at now to see if we can restart and maybe thrive so we can reach 200 years old.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1449.0,1523.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/37","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: As you guys are working your way to your 200th anniversary, I did want to ask, you've been in the community as a local business since 2009. How have you seen Woodhaven as a community grow and change during those, I would say, now 11 years. 10, 11 years.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1523.0,1548.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/38","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: The one thing I like about Woodhaven and I've noticed about Woodhaven is that there are different organizations, whether they're nonprofit and licensed and corporate and everything, or just the groups of people coming together to accomplish maybe the graffiti cleanup or the food drive, you have this area that's filled with people that are in their own right are community leaders. They don't have a big title, but they say, like, I always try to preach to people [who] say they need to do something, they need to do something, they need to—them it's 'we.' They decided that instead of us saying someone needs to clean up the graffiti, someone needs to do that, they say, \"I'll clean up the graffiti\" or \"I get some people and we'll clean up the graffiti.\"","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1548.0,1604.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/39","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Woodhaven has become and been that community place that people take pride in. It's made up of people of all ethnicities, a larger percentage of those people now, over the past 11 years or more, Latino, Hispanic, but the energy and the community values are still the same. That's what I love about that. That's why I'm so happy to keep working with these different organizations, because like I said, we are a community gathering place, and if we don't connect or reflect the community we serve, we'll be in a silo and I think we'll also fail, because you can't be a local place without reflecting the locals and the locals' needs. It's common business sense and it's also part of our community values.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1604.0,1652.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/40","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: Kind of going off of that, you answered part of this question, but I'm going to add an extra bit to it. When we talk about as a local business, especially when you're talking about Neir's Tavern, I'm seeing a really great intersection of community and local history, and how they intertwine so well in your business and your community values. Do you mind talking a little bit about how those community values and value of local history work together when people walk into Neir's Tavern?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1652.0,1689.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/41","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: I'm going to give you a story, and I told it to someone else before, but the quick version of it is that local business ownership is very, very tough. It's just crazy. In 2013, unfortunately, I was at the point where I bit off more than I can chew. I don't know if you've ever felt that with whatever job or initiative you're trying to do. I got to the point where I'm like, \"You know what, I can't. This is all I can do.\" I walked into Neir's Tavern one day and this guy approached me right off—he jumped out of his seat that he was sitting at right at the corner. He said, \"Are you the owner?\" I said, \"Uh, yeah. I owe you money?\" What's going on? I don't know this guy, but he knows, he kind of knows me.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1689.0,1737.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/42","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: I thought I was gonna get a punch in the face or something, you don't know. So I said, \"Yeah.\" He's like, \"Well, I want to thank you.\" And I'm like, okay, this is good. All right, thank me for what? He's like, \"Thanks for saving the place. I really appreciate it. I see what you're doing. You're trying hard.\" I'm like, \"No, we did it as a community.\" And he was like, \"Listen, stop, stop, stop, stop. Listen. I don't think you understand. I really want to thank you.\" I'm like, well, what do you mean? He's like, well, my father loved Neir's Tavern, and this was his place, but we didn't have a good relationship. We had one of those bad father-son relationship. I live in Florida, he lived here, and this was his second home. He come here, everybody knows him 'cause [unclear] and jokes. We didn't have that relationship, but he died a few months ago. I came back for his funeral and I'm back [unclear] now. I noticed I'm coming back to the seat that they told me was his favorite seat. I feel like now I'm sitting in his seat having beer with the father that I never had a relationship with, trying to reconnect, and hearing the stories from the bartenders, from the customers, about my father and how he used to be and what was his favorite stuff.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1737.0,1816.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/43","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: He said, \"I want to thank you for keeping the place going. Now I have a place to go back to and to remember my father.\" When it comes to a local business and local history, I think it's more of a personal histories. Neir's Tavern is the people's museum. We have big famous people and their history is captured, but Neir's Tavern is the people's museum. When you walk into here, you hear other people's generational history. I even have on the wall pictures and stuff people give me say, \"Hey, this was my father from World War II standing on 80th Street,\" which I probably try to grab right now. Actually, I'm going to grab that. I'm going to interrupt, two seconds, I'm going to [Loycent walks away to retrieve photo]—","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1816.0,1881.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/44","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: I know this is unconventional, but I'm an unconventional guy. When I talk about local history, you talk about local history of business and community, this is what it means to people. I had gotten this, and people do [this] all the time. So this says, \"This is my uncle George Triglia [phonetic] on 80th Street looking North.\" This guy's name is Richie Reed [phonetic]. I don't know if the camera, it's a little blurred out [holds document up to camera]. It's a little whited out. They sent me this photo [holds photo up to camera] and explaining that that's his uncle George on 80th Street. You could see he's in his sailor's uniform and things like that, only two blocks from here. When people come in, they try to remember their history.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1881.0,1949.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/45","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: They try to tell you their history of Woodhaven or they're being connected to Neir's Tavern somehow. When I say this is the people's museum, that's what it is. We don't have the museum of whatever. I'm not going to name things. What you guys are doing and Queens Memory's so important because what we lack in the structure that you guys have in the official part of it, you guys have it. We're just an adjunct way of trying to have a place that's sociable, that people can come to and talk about the history, can point their fingers and say, \"This is the picture of my father that's here,\" and generations can come back and see. The walls are probably starting to fill up, but maybe we'll expand and get the building one day and make the whole thing the people's museum.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=1949.0,2006.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/46","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: I think that's beautiful too as well because, I know for myself, I always say, history is people's experiences, it's not just a page in a textbook. The page in the textbook is made by the people who are living it in real time. And so I love that the people are sending you their photos because it's almost like watching a genealogy tree, like a family tree almost, but it's like the family tree of Neir's Tavern. That's like the image that comes to mind when you talk about the photos on the wall. I think that's a really beautiful part of the community of just how they've grown into like the DNA of your business.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2006.0,2047.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/47","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Well said, that's right. There are these people, and you, and everyone that visits and support Neir's and come here multiple times to have that history are now part of the DNA. We need to figure out how to officiate it properly. That's why I love Queens Memory and everything you guys do, and it's hard work, but it's important work.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2047.0,2071.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/48","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: To kind of move on to things that are a little bit more somber, I do want to talk about COVID-19, the kind of things that are happening today, especially to local businesses. I do want to ask you, starting, is just generally, how have you yourself and your own personal life been affected with the pandemic and everything that is going on right now?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2071.0,2094.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/49","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: No one expected this in this way. I don't think we can ever wrap our minds around where we would have been now, thinking about it four months ago. It was hard to wrap my mind around it, to be honest with you. We kept moving, but here's the one thing that I kind of brought home, and I think we all kind of discovered this after a little while. Everything seems a little distant until it become really close to you. I was out there helping with the food drives and just actually giving free meals to first responders and the essential workers and everything. That's just a gut reaction. That's the right thing to do. We're human beings, want to give, want to help in times of need.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2094.0,2152.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/50","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: But then it was just another level when my mom has it. My mom got it. And then my grandmother had it. Being in that at risk population, you get scared. There's a new level of concern. We in a pandemic. Oh, your mom has it. Oh, your grandmother had it. You see all these deaths that are piling up and you're like, \"Is my family going to be one of them? Are they going to be part of that statistic that the governor gives the death toll for the day?\" So it just became very, very real.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2152.0,2191.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/51","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Gladly, they made full recovery and I'm eternally blessed. Unfortunately these things happen. We get a whole new outlook on things. I'm spending more time, I'm trying to spend more time with them and try to think of a way to make sure that I'm balancing family, work and business, and try to figure out how I can be even more of service to things that really are important in today's life.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2191.0,2227.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/52","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: I wanted to walk away from Neir's Tavern because tons of debt, crazy stuff. But I said, this is important to me. Let me give it one more shot because, yes, the money is very hard to wrap your mind around the losses over the past few months. But there's something that's priceless. There's something that's priceless, and we all say it, but this is the time for me to say, okay, let's put actions behind these words. Like priceless, priceless, priceless, well, how priceless is it? Are you willing to carry this debt, this crazy stuff that's going on, this work? At this point, yes, I'm going to do that. I'm going to give it one more shot because it's important to me, it's important to Queens, and it's important to try to continue to give back to America and even down to Queens that gave me so much as an immigrant. That's my stance on that. That's what had happened to me with the COVID-19. I am still negative, no antibodies, so [crosses fingers].","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2227.0,2292.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/53","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: Well, first I want to say, I'm so glad that your family is doing better and in full recovery. I know that, especially with that, it's very difficult and really hard, it's a really hard experience for a person who is experiencing, but also who has to watch. I'm glad that your family is doing much better during this time. To continue, you were saying, you're giving it one more shot to continue on to the 200th anniversary. I do want to talk about this group called the Neir's 200 Group. I found them via Facebook when I was doing a little bit of research for this interview. I think it's amazing what your community is doing for you. So can you talk about who the Neir's 200 Group is and kind of how that came about?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2292.0,2350.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/54","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: I owe so much to the Neir's 200 Group, really. Neir's Tavern would never have, like New York Post says, recovered or survived the pandemic without them. It goes back to last year when we were in desperate situation. We created Neir's 190 committee and we fought together on different things silently that couldn't be public. We eventually came up with one large project, which was the 190 years street celebration, the first ever in here, in this block, where we had over a thousand people that showed up throughout the day. We created that. I'm like, wow, this is powerful, that if we come together, and I said, \"Wow, community can conquer all. If we really come together, not just say, but come together, and put our differences aside, we can.\" We created this 190th celebration. It was beautiful. Kids, adults, bouncy rides, then alcohol at night, and karaoke, and drinks, and [unclear] whiskey shots. It was just amazing, all day! It was just, it just fills your heart up.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2350.0,2428.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/55","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: It's nice that when this whole pandemic hit, and after two weeks of doing takeout and delivery, I said, \"You know what? It's too dangerous to keep pushing our supporters to come out and eat and support. I could be causing serious problems to something I don't know yet about.\" So we shut down. I said, \"What else can we do? All right, let's see if we can get a committee together.\" So I created the Neir's 200 Group on Facebook and say, \"Hey guys, we're just going to do these bar talks every Wednesday 6 to 7 to talk, to meet up, to talk about stuff.\" And we did. We started doing that, where we ended up having New York 1 jumping on one of the calls and putting it on TV that—look at these bar talks and people showed up.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2428.0,2477.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/56","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Now we have about 180 some people in the group. We're all working to find a way to contribute our resources, ideas, and how Neir's Tavern can not only survive the pandemic, but reach 200 years old. Every week—we just finished our 14th bar talk—we come together and talk about different initiatives. And I tell you, it's not just you're part of it, you're talking. There are real actions happening, just like the big street celebration. We were, unfortunately, we had New York Post coming, and we had no real tent and outdoor set up going and I didn't have much. I was like, \"Listen, guys, I don't have any like picnic tables and the canopies and all this stuff.\"","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2477.0,2527.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/57","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: A couple people started saying, \"Here's what we can do. I got some—\" [Loycent's screen freezes] picnic tables together. People came out and they incredibly came out and created this beautiful outdoor dining setup that we had and it, just in time for New York Post to snap their photo with me in the front and the set-up in the background saying, \"Neir's Tavern survives COVID-19.\" And I'm like, you don't know how close this was because we still was missing one picnic table or we kind of make it work. But because of them, they come together, they made the outdoor dining setup. And I said, \"I don't know if people are going to show up for the picture and stuff.\" It was like, \"No, we're coming. So we'll have a nice picture of people in the background.\" I was like [laughter] 'cause I was nervous [unclear] there's nobody sitting there, but we ended up having a regular crowd plus them, which was socially distance and it was perfect.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2527.0,2583.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/58","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: That's the power of them. I can tell you so many stories already. We're going to be on Q104.3 the radio station all next week, July 20th to the whole week, them announcing Neir's Tavern being open and giving stuff away. Why? Because one of our committee members, Neir's 200 members, call up the radio station say, Neir's Tavern have to qualify for the road to recovery program that you got. You have to put them in. Then another guy called one of the executives. They said, wait, so they get like all of these calls and they're like, \"What is this thing?\"","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2583.0,2621.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/59","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: So they said, \"All right, you got it.\" You know, you're going to be part of the road to recovery. Wow, what a great story about Neir's Tavern too. We would have definitely picked it, but we didn't know about it. So the most famous bar you'd never heard of, even [unclear]. It just so many great stories that they're doing to help. We're just hoping for more resources, and more ideas, and more community support on top, of course, people come in and eat great burgers and wings and beer.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2621.0,2651.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/60","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: I think what's beautiful about those stories you're talking about also is your community members and your patrons, that you didn't need to tell them. They did it on their own. It's their own initiative. They took the leap themselves because they care so much and that's I think an amazing—it really shows just how much of a community space Neir's Tavern is and how much the community values you guys. I also wanted to ask about, I know you guys have, besides the Neir's 200 Group, you also have the Neir's recovery box and you have the Neir's 2020 ambassador. Can you talk about what those are, because those are also other initiatives that are happening at this time?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2651.0,2694.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/61","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Unfortunately most people are not aware, besides probably the Neir's 200 Group, that take out and delivery and outdoor dining is just not going to be enough right now because we still don't have indoor dining. There's still uncertainty. Even if you do have it, they might take it away, the rain falls, there's still a lot of uncertainty. To offset the losses from the dining room and also all the prior debts that's been built up, we created the Neir's recovery box, which has three or four different items in there that are very specific and very unique, that once you get that, you'll be offered not only a free meal that's in there, but we also have a 190th commemorative [unclear] emblem.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2694.0,2751.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/62","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: It's a metal emblem that I wore all last year when things were really tough and nobody really knew. Every interview, everything, even on Fox Business interview live on-air, I wore it. A lot of the New York Posts, New York Times, all these things, I wore it, because it meant a lot. I had a few made up, limited amount. That's also in the recovery box and it's going to be signed by me, certificate authenticity, with the person's name that you are part of this recovery, because although we are reopened, it is the start of the recovery. We haven't recovered yet, but at least we're at the start now, and there's a mountain to climb. Plus a face mask, a Neir's Tavern face mask with Neir's Tavern on there, the logo, 1829, we can have.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2751.0,2808.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/63","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: So those are the couple of things that's in there. We're probably going to throw in a couple of these stickers you can put on your car, or put on your desk, or laptop. We're going to throw little prizes in there. So that's one initiative that we're doing, and the ambassador program is something that we're still working on. We didn't launch it yet, but essentially you now have an opportunity to put your name on our wall. So to say, you're a 2020 ambassador and we'll give you discounts, 10 percent, 20 percent discount every time you come in because you're a part of that initiative. Hopefully maybe a month or two, we'll launch that part. Right now, it's all about the recovery box 'cause we're still recovering. This is the start of the recovery to help offset some of the losses and even now offset some of the loss from the dining.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2808.0,2858.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/64","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: To continue off of that, you've mentioned, you guys are doing outdoor seating, takeout. I want to talk a little bit about how your business was able to quickly move into adapting to that due to everything that's going on right now. I've been seeing how like, especially with outdoor dining, businesses being really tech savvy and like super inventive in the ways that they are operating those. I wanted to ask you how you have been operating those two options for your business.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2858.0,2897.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/65","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Outdoor dining is something we had to take advantage of because it does help, it does help offset. Although takeout and delivery, we have it, it's just not enough. So outdoor dining, what we've done is created three 10 by 10 canopies, which we call cabanas, and so Goodfellas cabana, the Mae West cabana, and the race track cabana. You pick one. Each of them have like this beautiful picnic table underneath. We can hold up to eight people, ten according to New York State mandate, but we keep it at eight, and they're all separated six feet apart with our six foot signs. We have that set up there with lights wrapped around the awning of them. It's a nice little set up for nice groups. You get a family that live in the same household, you can do that.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2897.0,2949.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/66","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: We have some other chairs, four other chairs that's, tables that's separated throughout the sidewalk. We try to do that and they've been working great. We have a little music playing outside, so it's feeling like something going on. We also started doing frozen drinks, frozen margarita. On Mondays now, a dollar ninety, we give for a dollar ninety, celebrate 190th year, a margarita. So one dollar [and] ninety cents, you get a margarita. We're doing that to kind of celebrate, have fun with the outdoor dining in the summertime. We have our app now, because when it rains, business is shot. So use our app, do the download, download our app and have takeout and delivery, if you want. So to help offset when we don't have the outdoor, 'cause of the storm or some crazy storm, you can do take out and delivery. Those are the things that we're doing in house right now that, hopefully, will help us with the sustainability.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=2949.0,3014.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/67","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: You are in Neir's Tavern right now. So since you are still operating and you are still seeing your neighborhood, what are things that you've been seeing out and about and how has that changed since March to now?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3014.0,3034.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/68","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Just things that regarding the pandemic?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3034.0,3039.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/69","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: Just in general, just walking out on the street, just how things changed—","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3039.0,3047.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/70","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: It's really weird, that's the technical term for it, because you normally seeing people that you know across the neighborhood, in the neighborhood, and now you're like, \"Is that John? I don't know. The mask is there.\" There's this double take and triple take. Did I just ignore someone that said hello, but then I don't know 'cause he still has—it's like this weird thing and it's tough to try to get the community together, and people knowing each other and waving at each other, when it's harder to see people's faces. I see that and it's very surreal. It's still surreal. It's still hasn't sunk in like, to get used to that. We're still trying to learn how that works, and that social aspect of it, and that community aspect.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3047.0,3098.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/71","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: But now I think we started make fun of it. You know, we just kinda joking and we're saying hello to strangers and sometimes [unclear] like, \"Oh, hi.\" \"Okay, well, hello anyway.\" I'm seeing those things that's happening. I'm also seeing, unfortunately, some businesses is just not really abiding by some of the mandates. It's not good. We don't want this area to be the next COVID-19 cluster. We have a responsibility as business owners and even as patrons, even me, you see we're doing something that's not kosher, we're not aware of, I am [unclear] to please let me know so we can fix it. 'Cause we might not be aware that certain things is happening or maybe, you know, five other people added on to that ten tables or something. We'll figure it out.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3098.0,3149.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/72","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: We all have a responsibility out there as community members to protect each other by wearing the mask when possible, and also policing our neighborhoods, ourselves and talking to other people. As business owners, you have a responsibility, and I know we're losing cash and you want to party, but just a little bit longer, let's hold on a little bit longer, hopefully we can still make it work.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3149.0,3174.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/73","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: I know with New York City has been doing pretty well. Like you said, if we hold on a little bit longer, hopefully things will return to some form of normalcy, shortly, soon.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3174.0,3187.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/74","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: You almost finished, don't stop before the finish line. We're just a few inches from the finish line, you stop, you're going to start going backwards.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3187.0,3197.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/75","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: Exactly. I do want to talk about also, you have a lot of these initiatives, you have takeout, outdoor dining, just what has been the response from your community, as you guys are slowly reopening up and working your way to that 200th anniversary?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3197.0,3215.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/76","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Yeah. Neir's Tavern supporters in general, some people are on different levels of comfort-ability, which I totally respect. There are people that are, \"I'm all right as long as we're socially distant.\" Some people are okay with bumps. Some people don't want to be touched, which is fine too. So there's whole different level. Some people, even the [unclear] Neir's community are still haven't come out yet because they maybe have people that are highly susceptible, at risk in their household, and they're very scared of something happening and then causing something. The other day I have a lady who, she really wanted to support us, so she literally drove from Long Island and did curbside pickup with the mask, the face shield, the [unclear], which I respect her tremendously because I want her to support Neir's Tavern, but I want her to be safe.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3215.0,3271.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/77","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: We brought the food out there to her so that she still have a way to contribute and she's also protected and she didn't even have to leave her car. So these different people—obviously we want everybody back, that'll make a better, in terms of in-house business, but we have to understand how we can help build people that wanna help, but can't really physically be here. That's why the recovery box is important, for people, I have orders from Arizona and Michigan and California and different parts of the country. They want to help, but they can't come here for a burger. I'll give, I'll do the recovery box and some people say, \"I'll just donate the meal that's in there to someone in need in the neighborhood.\" And I'm just blown away continually by the goodwill. If we can multiply those people by ten, I don't think we'll have a problem taking over this entire building and making it Neir's museum.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3271.0,3335.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/78","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: I think the great part of what you just mentioned is, people are on a national scale ordering stuff. It's a local business with local community, but your community is now extending past Queens. It's hitting California.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3335.0,3352.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/79","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Yeah, absolutely. I just had two guys, one guy commented about his great experience coming here and he said, \"I'm in London. I live in London, but I visited just before the pandemic.\" Then another guy in the comments say it is a great place too. \"I'm also in London. I was there too, but it was last year. Glad that we're in the same—\" they're both in London. I'm sure they'll probably hook up and talk about Neir's. You got this little international thing buzzing. It's very small scale, but maybe it's a start of something. There's Neir's supporters everywhere, it seems like, we just need to figure out how to get them all here [laughter].","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3352.0,3393.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/80","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: As we start winding down, I want to ask specifically, just to reiterate what are ways that the community can help you and your business during this time?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3393.0,3403.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/81","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: I boil it down to—this is very simple. Some people ask, \"I don't know what to do and how I can help. I'm not sure. I want to help. I want to do something, but I can't go there,\" or this and that. I totally respect it and I get it. I tell people, or even some people say, \"I don't have that much money,\" and this and that. \"I don't have time.\" But I say, if you're short on time, but you have extra funds, then buy a recovery box. Maybe when the ambassador program, maybe do that, that'll help. Or buy a shirt or something from our store. Some people just like, \"I don't have much money, but I have a lot of time.\" Then, donate your time. Get in the Neir's 200 Group, get on the Zoom calls, let's discuss, call some people. There's so many different ways that we can help each other. If you don't have time or money, then just share the message with a friend, share the message that what we're trying to do. I think those are the different ways you might fit into one of those three categories. I think that's where you'll find your way of getting involved in a Neir's 200 movement to get to 200 years old.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3403.0,3476.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/82","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: You've had, starting from January 2020 to here, it's been a wild ride, I guess you can say. I do want to ask, you know, to end on a more positive note, just with everything going on with everything that you've seen, what is the most hopeful thing that you can see coming of all of this right now?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3476.0,3499.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/83","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: What's the most hopeful thing coming out of all this? I would hope, I would hope at least, I always go back to this, that community can conquer all. We are social creatures. We need to understand that, we need to accept that. However, we have differences, and in those differences and talking about those differences, understanding, showing empathy and understanding, is where the growth begins. That's where we start to come together truly on a real level, not just on a superficial level.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3499.0,3540.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/84","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: I feel that what we're doing now and what this pandemic should be showing us is that all these efforts is building hope for a more stronger community. With that community, we can conquer all. I see it. It's revealing opportunities to help, opportunities that you can make a difference in anything that you see out there. It's not just, they need to do something, it's them is we. I need to do something. We can do something. I see that all over. If you haven't done yours yet, or you're not sure, then get into the Neir's 200 Group. We'll show you different ways. Or if you have something that you thinking about, get in Neir's 200 Group and let's work together, collaborate as a community, and we're doing that now. It's showing that as a community, we can conquer all.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3540.0,3598.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/85","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: For people to find out about Neir's Tavern online, what are ways that people can find you on the internet, on social media, what are all the Instagram/Twitter handles as I like to say?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3598.0,3612.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/86","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Absolutely. So we have neirstavern.com. You can go there for all about our products, our history. We have a little podcast series that we did interviewing some interesting guests that's connected with Neir's Tavern. You can listen to that. You also obviously can look at our recovery box. We're all over the internet. You can type us in Google and you can find all kinds of different, beautiful articles from different newsreels and so forth. Social media, we're very active on Instagram, Neir's Tavern, @neirstavern. Facebook, Neirs Tavern, and Twitter, Neirstavern. So you find those, and you can always join our email list, where we continue giving you information, latest stuff that's happening, that's timely. You can email me directly loy@neirstavern.com.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3612.0,3669.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/87","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Jo-Ann Wong: Awesome. Well, thank you so much Loy for joining us today and speaking about Neir's Tavern. We really do appreciate you giving us your time to talk about it. I can't wait to see Neir's Tavern reach that 200th anniversary.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3669.0,3685.0"},{"id":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221/transcript/77610/annotation/88","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Loycent Gordon: Yes. Thank you very much for giving us a platform to let people know that we're still here.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/943/collection_resources/28776/file/96221#t=3685.0,3707.69065"}]}]}]}