Neir’s Tavern, one of New York City’s oldest bars, has opened a new location at Terminal 8 of John F Kennedy International Airport, through a partnership with MERA, ASUR Airports, American Airlines and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Founded in 1829 in Woodhaven in Queens, Neir’s Tavern is now one of 20 locally inspired concessions to open at the terminal as part of a US$125m commercial development program delivered with terminal commercial operator ASUR Airports and American Airlines. The program features more than 60 new concessions across Terminal 8.
The new Neir’s location serves a selection from the bar’s existing menu, including the Goodfella’s Burger, Chicken Wings and Grilled Chicken Sandwich, alongside cocktails, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages.
Port Authority executive director Kathryn Garcia said Neir’s – which is owned by Loycent Gordon, a graduate of the Port Authority’s Institute of Concessions – will give Terminal 8 travelers “a genuine Queens experience rooted in the historic tavern’s nearly two centuries of service to the community.”
Gordon said, “For nearly two centuries, since 1829, Neir’s Tavern has been a cornerstone of Queens. Like many small businesses, our future has often felt uncertain, and my personal journey as a Jamaican working to save a historic American tavern has been demanding. But today is a profoundly historic milestone making it worthwhile: we are opening our first new location in nearly 200 years, right as America approaches its 250th anniversary. This trusted partnership will be a vital lifeline that helps ensure Neir’s Tavern will reach its bicentennial in 2029.”
The new concessions program follows a US$400m expansion and modernization of Terminal 8 completed in 2022, led by American Airlines as part of the Port Authority’s US$19bn transformation of JFK.
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