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Right before the weekend, Upper East Site reported that the Frick Collection, whose original location at 1 East 70th Street by Fifth Avenue is temporarily closed for renovations, had received a liquor license “to build 14 separate bars—with only 10 operating simultaneously” when finally reopening to the public in late 2024.
Eater picked up on that report on Monday, stating that the museum was planning on opening 14 bars this spring. The misleading reports are only the latest drama-filled portion of the Frick’s quest to obtain liquor licenses.
Over the past few weeks, Upper East Side residents have been concerned about the potential disruptions that the supposed “bars” would cause late at night when hosting parties with loud music and the like.
After much deliberation and clarification, members of Community Board 8 approved the Frick Collection’s requests for 14 different “bars,” but it will not be operating multiple, standalone drinking dens.
“To clarify, we are not ‘opening bars’ at the Frick,” explained Heidi Rosenau, the Associate Director of Communications and Marketing at the Frick Collection, in an email to Time Out New York. “With the completion of our current renovation and enhancement project, the Frick will have a small restaurant on the second floor of its reception hall. The application for our liquor license is structured to accommodate this restaurant, the first in our history, as well as events at the Frick, aligned with our previous and current operations.”
To put it simply, the much-anticipated, on-site restaurant will certainly be serving drinks and the other licenses will allow the museum to serve alcoholic drinks within the building only during occasional, special events. The general public will not be able to order drinks across the museum during a regular museum visit.
“This is the same [situation] as at other museums with liquor licenses,” said Rosenau, also noting that the on-site bars largely reflect the same setup that the museum had before the renovations.
The community board approval is just a step in the process of getting a liquor license. Community boards are advisory only and not decision-making. The next step is to apply to the State Liquor Authority. Rosenau says that when the museum applies for its liquor license, it will be for one license for the Frick, not individual ones for each special event bar at an opening or party within the museum.