Barracuda, a Chelsea queer bar known for drag shows and cheap drinks, will close its doors on March 23 after three decades in business.
Tucked away in a virtually nondescript building at 275 W. 22nd St., Barracuda was known as a community bar and a springboard for performers who would kickstart their entertainment careers — especially with regular events such as “Star Search,” known as the long-running drag show in the city. The bar served as a hub for celebrities and locals alike who crossed paths there — often before heading out to other venues across the city.
According to the bar’s owner, Bob Pontarelli, who opened Barracuda alongside the late Stephen Heighton in 1995, the bar is closing because the surrounding buildings are undergoing disruptive renovations. The renovations have already affected parts of the bar and will eventually make it “impossible to conduct business as usual,” Pontarelli said.
“In the past few months, a major demolition of the buildings surrounding Barracuda was undertaken,” Pontarelli told BroadwayWorld, which first reported that Barracuda was shutting down. “This included the movie theater that shares our entire East wall and apartments on 23rd Street that share our stage. This demolition is the first step of a huge condo project. The damage from the construction has significantly affected the interior and overall operation of the bar. The next step will be the drilling of the bedrock in order to begin tower construction. There is no way to anticipate the additional damage and risks that could arise in the future.”
Reflecting on three decades at the bar, Pontarelli remembered Heighton as “a business partner, a ‘brother,’ an inspiration, and a force of nature” and said he would have shared the same appreciation for the bar’s journey from the mid-90s to today. When they opened the bar, Pontarelli said it introduced a “funky living room environment” that was “created mostly from furniture we picked up at flea markets.”
“It is with the most profound gratitude that I thank all of the performers, managers, bartenders, DJs, coatchecks, bar backs, and the literally hundreds of thousands of guests that have come through our doors and partied with us,” Pontarelli said. “It has been a true joy.”
