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A Century To Remember

The peninsula’s oldest pub is ready for a new crop of customers


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If the walls of Rogers Pub could talk, they’d tell a tale of a century-old establishment, once part of an exclusive hotel that attracted vacationers from around the city, a summer destination that rivaled the jet-setting Hamptons of Long Island.

Today, the pub on Beach 116th Street stands alone. The hotel has long since closed, unable to stay afloat as Rockaway’s popularity as a seaside summer retreat waned.

But on the cusp of its 100-year anniversary, the Rockaway Park icon is being restored to its former glory by its newest proprietor Mike McMahon, who purchased the peninsula’s oldest tavern three years ago from the Rogers family and soon plans to reopen the hotel in the hope of luring a new crop of residents and beach lovers alike.

On Saturday, Dec. 21, McMahon is commemorating the bar’s milestone with a daylong celebration of live entertainment, a sampling of food and, of course, the best pint of Guinness on this side of the pond.

The festivities, set to begin at 2 p.m. and carry into the wee hours of the morning, will include entertainment from locals, like Wine with Sue and Walter Ensor, as well as other musicians who are weekend regulars.

Locals and DFDs alike have been quenching their thirst at Rogers for a pretty long time.

Locals and DFDs alike have been quenching their thirst at Rogers for a pretty long time.

The Brooklyn Bards, a four-piece acoustic band, will kick off the party with renditions of Irish favorites such as “Finnigan’s Wake” and “Dirty Old Town,” followed by a performance from the O’Malley Step dancers.

Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato will be on hand to present the McMahon and Rogers families with a proclamation, thanking them for their 100 years of service and hospitality, and, most notably for providing good “craic” to the residents of Rockaway.

“We want to keep Rogers a traditional Irish bar,” said McMahon, who has owned several other pubs in Brooklyn since the mid-1980s, including Kevin Ryan’s and McMahon’s Public House.

“[The McMahons] are restoring Rogers to what it once was,” said Richard Rogers, whose family purchased the hotel in 1919. “They are Rockaway people; they love Rockaway and they are taking care of a little parcel of Rockaway that symbolizes all that is good here.”

The Wave was there when Mike McMahon (left) and his brother Jim bought Rogers in 2015, he and outgoing owner, Rich Rogers (right) posed for The Wave.

The Wave was there when Mike McMahon (left) and his brother Jim bought Rogers in 2015, he and outgoing owner, Rich Rogers (right) posed for The Wave.

McMahon is pulling out all the stops to restore the newest addition to his string of saloons. He’s begun refurbishing Rogers’ walnut wood bar, torn down plaster walls to expose the building’s original brick and adorned the walls with photos of the hotel and scenes from Rockaway in its heyday.

The two signature wooden placards, cautioning patrons with sayings such as “Be Good or Be Gone” and “No Sniveling,” will continue to hang over the bar. An outdoor beer garden has already opened, with plans for a new 20-room hotel and restaurant expected to follow next summer.

“I see a lot of potential on 116th Street,” said McMahon, who moved to Belle Harbor eight years ago from Marine Park in Brooklyn. “There’s new development, new condos and the ferry is bringing a lot of people to Rockaway.”

We endorse the “No Sniveling” sign and the fact that it will remain where it has hung for so long.

We endorse the “No Sniveling” sign and the fact that it will remain where it has hung for so long.

Of course, there are old friends as well, many who frequent the pub daily to have a pint, a cup of coffee or just to say hello.

“We are like that show Cheers,” said McMahon, referring to the 1980s sitcom that centered around a friendly neighborhood bar, “where everybody knows your name.”

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