Apr 11, 2026 9 min read

‘IT HOLDS A LOT OF MEMORIES’: THE PUSH TO SAVE A BELOVED NEW YORK JIMMY‘S CORNER DIVE BAR.

By Guardian-Adam Gabbatt in New York-Sat 11 Apr 2026 12.00 BST

Jimmy’s Corner, opened by former boxer Jimmy Glenn in 1971, is a vestige of an older New York – and its loyal patrons are fighting to protect it. On Friday morning, David Gladman was looking at tables in the back of Jimmy’s Corner, the Times Square dive bar that has served up beers for more than 50 years.

The table tops are covered with photographs, some dating back to the 70s, with yellowing laminate over the top. Gladman used the torch on his phone to scour the pictures.

“There it is,” he said, triumphantly. He pointed at a photo of himself in the early 1980s, next to his wife. In the image, Gladman, now 73, is smoking a cigarette and his wife is smiling at the camera. He took a photo of the photo, an image which remembers one of many, many Jimmy’s Corner nights over the years: Gladman, a former executive chef, said he drank at the bar “every day from 1988 to 2012”.

“My job was very stressful,” he said. “So I would come here, spend three or four hours here, and go home feeling good.”

It’s easy to see why he is so attached to the bar, which was opened by Jimmy Glenn, a former boxer, in 1971. Amid the present-day bright lights and tourist cacophony of Times Square, Jimmy’s Corner remains as a last vestige of an older New York: when things were grittier and, in truth, a bit dirtier. The walls are covered with ageing photos of boxers, the restrooms decorated with stickers representing long broken-up bands and long-shuttered bars. An dust-covered Happy Birthday sign hangs behind the long, narrow bar, where those lucky enough to get a seat are treated to rickety stools; those forced to stand constantly have to tuck in their pints to allow people to pass by.

It’s not a swanky bar, but it’s authentic, and it’s clear why the regulars are horrified that, after 55 years, Jimmy’s Corner is facing closure. The building’s landlord, the Durst Organization, has told Adam Glenn – Jimmy’s son, who took over the bar in 2015 – that he is being evicted, and has put the building up for sale.

It has prompted last ditch efforts to keep the bar open. Adam filed a long-shot lawsuit against Durst last year, and on Friday scores of bar patrons, and several local politicians, held a rally in an attempt to save the bar.

A group of people holding signs. — People rally for Jimmy’s Corner. Photograph: Adam Gabbatt/The Guardian

“It’s a testament to our community,” Adam said ahead of the event, as he cast his eye across the bustling bar. He had opened early, and at 10.30am dozens of people were readying themselves for protest, some fortifying themselves with the help of the bar’s famously cheap beer.

“They’re clamoring to do this,” Adam said. “I think through adversity a lot of communities get stronger and this threat has made us stronger: people think even more about what they love about this place. It’s been humbling, and I appreciate it, and that’s a huge part of why I’m doing this.”

When Jimmy opened the bar, Times Square was known as a hub for prostitution, peep shows and general vice. Jimmy and his bar served as a safe haven – he would often stand outside the bar to keep an eye on the street and it attracted a fiercely loyal clientele. Adam said his father was close to the Durst family for decades, but he believes he was “tricked” into agreeing to a lease provision which enabled Durst to shut down the bar after Jimmy died, in 2020.

“I think my dad would be incredibly hurt and disappointed, because he would have expected better from them,” Adam said.

He would surely have been impressed by the scene on Friday, though, when local TV news flocked to capture the rally outside the Durst headquarters. The bar’s patrons headed out to a gathering point on the corner, carrying pre-printed signs and blinking in the sunlight.

“I’m 68, I’ve been coming here since I was 14 with my parents,” Thomas P Walsh said as he walked to the protest. He was not happy about the prospect of his local bar closing down. “The landlord is greedy. It’s a small business. And everyone who comes here, it’s like family. It’s like Cheers. Everybody knows everybody.”

The bar’s quest to evade eviction has been picked up by local politicians, and, at the rally they paired the fight against Jimmy’s closing with promoting legislation which would protect other small businesses from being booted out by landlords.

“This is just one example of thousands of businesses being forced to close all over the city due to just unsustainable rent increases,” said Julia Salazar, a New York state senator. “Small businesses are the beating heart of the city. They represent culture. They also employ more than half of the workers in New York state, and it really has a profound ripple effect when a small business is forced to close due to unsustainable costs.”

Salazar’s speech was met by chants of “Save Jimmy’s Corner!” Some cars honked their horns as they drove by, although it was unclear if they knew what they were honking for.

“I love Jimmy’s Corner,” Emily Gallagher, a New York state assembly member, told a cheering crowd. She recalled her first visit to the bar: “I met people from all around the world, and then that became a place that I love to go, that I love to bring people, where I knew that we would meet new people.”

Gallagher added: “So often now, New York just feels like a strip mall in Iowa. And there’s nothing wrong with Iowa, but it is not New York. Jimmy’s is a beloved family-owned bar. Durst Organization is an enormous real estate company, and they are attempting to evict them.”

For its part, Durst thinks it has done nothing wrong. In a statement, it said: “The building is for sale and is the ideal location for a new housing development. For 50 years, the Durst family maintained a special personal relationship with the bar’s original owner, Jimmy Glenn. That’s why Durst helped keep the bar’s doors open for decades, including through below-market rent. In fact, Durst has not raised the bar’s rent in nearly 20 years. Unfortunately, no good deed goes unpunished.”

Durst said it had offered Adam money to vacate.

“We have done our best to be good neighbors, and we regret it has come to this,” the company said.

That argument held no water on Friday, when Jimmy’s regulars spent an hour of metaphorically sticking it to big business. It was tiring work, and after the protest it was time to head back to the bar, where an upbeat atmosphere – aided, no doubt, by $3 beers – belied the sadness at Jimmy’s potential closure.

Among them was Gladman, who was drinking a beer and reminiscing about old times.

“Jimmy was like a dad to me,” he said. “He was a fantastic counsel. He knew all about my life and everything about me, and they would give me some really great advice.”

Gladman doesn’t come to the bar to look at the old photo. It didn’t work out between him and his wife. She moved to California, he remarried. He has been with his second wife for 35 years. He comes to Jimmy’s Corner because, he said, it feels like home.

“I don’t want this place to go,” he said. “It holds a lot of memories for me. For everyone.”

Protect the old New York Dive Bars, they are holding communities together as well as friendly welcomes to the US for sailors and other visitors.

Adam Gabbatt - Guardian

Jimmy’s Corner: The Last Real Dive in Times Square

Tucked just steps away from the chaos of Times Square, Jimmy's Corner is one of New York City’s most beloved hidden gems. It’s the kind of place you could walk past a dozen times without noticing—but once you step inside, you’ll understand why people keep coming back.

A Bar with a Story

Jimmy’s Corner isn’t just a bar—it’s a piece of NYC history. It was founded by Jimmy Glenn, a boxing trainer and promoter whose influence still fills the space. The walls are covered in authentic boxing memorabilia—photos, gloves, posters—giving the bar a museum-like feel without losing its grit.

What Makes It Special

This is not your polished Manhattan cocktail lounge. Jimmy’s is:

Small, narrow, and packed with character
Dimly lit, with a jukebox and TVs often showing sports
A mix of locals, tourists, and longtime regulars

It’s loud, a little chaotic, and completely unpretentious—the way a true dive bar should be.

When to Go

Open most days from late morning or afternoon
Stays open late—often until 4AM on weekends
Best times:
- Afternoon for a quieter, local feel
- Late night for energy and crowd

What to Expect (and What Not To)

Expect:

Authentic NYC atmosphere
Friendly but no-nonsense bartenders
A place with real personality

Don’t expect:

Craft cocktails or fancy menus
Spacious seating (it’s tight!)
A polished or upscale vibe

Why It Still Matters

In a neighborhood full of chain restaurants and flashy attractions, Jimmy’s Corner has stayed exactly what it’s always been: real. It’s one of the few places left in Times Square where you can experience the old New York—unfiltered, affordable, and full of stories.

Final Word

If you want a true New York experience—not the curated version, but the genuine article—Jimmy’s Corner delivers. It’s not glamorous, but it’s unforgettable.

Pull up to the bar, order something simple, and soak it in.

What you’re actually seeing

These photos capture exactly why the place feels so unique:

Walls covered in history

Every inch is packed with boxing memorabilia
Old fight posters, framed photos, gloves, and signed gear
It’s basically a mini boxing museum disguised as a bar

Tight, narrow layout

Long bar with stools lined up shoulder-to-shoulder
Very little space—people squeeze in
Feels like a time capsule from the 1970s

Lighting & atmosphere

Dim, slightly yellow lighting
Mirrors and wood that have clearly been there forever
Worn-in, not worn-out

From real visitors:

“Loud, lively, and a little chaotic… old-school, stuck in time”

The energy

Jukebox playing classic tracks
TVs showing sports (often boxing)
People talking across each other, bartenders moving fast

The feeling (this is the key)

Jimmy’s doesn’t look curated—it looks lived in.

It’s:

A little messy
A little cramped
Full of personality

And that’s exactly why people love it.

If you walk in…

Expect this moment:

You push through the door
It’s darker than outside
You hear music + chatter immediately
You look up—and the walls are completely covered

That’s when it clicks: this isn’t just a bar, it’s a surviving piece of old New York.

A Typical Night Crowd at Jimmy's Corner

Walk in on a normal night and you’ll immediately feel it: this place doesn’t attract just one type of person—it pulls in everyone.

The mix you’ll actually see

Locals & regulars

Older New Yorkers who’ve been coming for years
Know the bartenders, know the routine
Usually posted up at “their” spot at the bar

Tourists who found the secret

People escaping Times Square chaos
Often surprised by how cheap and real it feels
You’ll hear multiple languages within minutes

Boxing fans & old-school crowd

Drawn by the history and memorabilia
Sometimes people who actually knew the boxing scene
Conversations can randomly turn into fight debates

After-work & late-night drifters

Office workers loosening ties
Bartenders from other places stopping by after shifts
Night owls bouncing between bars

The energy level

Early evening (5–8 PM):

Chill, conversational
Easy to grab a spot
More locals than tourists

Prime time (9 PM–midnight):

Packed shoulder-to-shoulder
Loud, fast-moving, high energy
Hard to move, easy to talk to strangers

Late night (midnight–4 AM):

Looser, rowdier, a bit chaotic
Mix of “last stop” people and diehards
Feels like anything could happen (in a fun way)

People talk to each other here—seriously
No one cares what you’re wearing
Zero pretension
You might walk in alone and leave with a conversation you didn’t expect

It’s one of those rare NYC spots where:

strangers still become temporary friends at the bar

What to be ready for

Tight space — personal space basically disappears
Cash vibe — old-school attitude (even if cards are accepted)
No frills — it’s about people, not presentation
Noise — not the place for quiet conversation

The honest takeaway

The crowd is what makes Jimmy’s Corner special.
It’s not curated, not filtered, not trying to be anything.

Just a rotating cast of:

regulars
wanderers
storytellers
and people who accidentally found one of the last real bars in Manhattan