October 10, 2024 2:22 pm
The Bar and Books cocktail and cigar bar, on Mánesova Street in Prague, Czech Republic, closed on the 21st September 2024, almost sixteen years since it first opened. On Friday 20th September, regulars and former staff reunited for one last party.
If you don’t want to watch the video above then keep reading.
We’ll get to why Bar and Books Mánesova had to close in a while, but first, let’s learn more about Bar and Books.
In 1990, Raju Mirchandan opened the original Bar and Books in New York City’s West Village, one of the city’s most desirable neighbourhoods. The bar was the first dedicated cigar bar to debut on the New York scene.
Ten years later, Czech-born, Martina Peštová met Raju, while working in New York and realised that the Bar and Books concept would be perfect for Prague. In 2004, Martina returned to Prague and opened the first international location on Týnská Street.
The Týnská was a success and four years later, Martina opened the second Prague location on Mánesova Street. Another location in Warsaw, Poland followed after that.
Many talented music and cabaret acts played at Bar and Books Mánesova including; The Transatlantic Connection, Lady and the Devil and the Burlesque show Voyage à trois.
In early 2024, a Czech billionaire, Zdeněk Cendra, purchased the entire building that was home to both Martina and Bar and Books Mánesova. Things began to change. The Bar and Books signs were removed from the building, trash bins and mailboxes belonging to the tenants disappeared, halls and stairs within the building were blocked with construction waste.
The entire story was covered by the Czech Television investigative programme, Černé ovce (Black Sheep). The journalists interviewed building tenants, who reported that their lives had been made a misery. The Černé ovce journalists also confronted Zdeněk Cendra but he refused to talk on camera.
Unable to fight one of the richest men in the Czech Republic, Martina and Raju decided to close Bar and Books Mánesova. However, their style isn’t to leave quietly and so, on Friday 20th September, regulars and former staff reunited for one last party. Music was provided by singer, Anna Manzina and pianist, Robin Finesilver, who had both performed at Bar and Books as ‘Lady and the Devil’ for many years.
While sad to see the closing of Bar and Books Mánesova, the memories live on and can continue in the other Bar and Books locations. Prague locals can continue to enjoy whisky and cigars at Bar and Books Týnská.
If you’d like to see all the photos from the party, visit our sister site: https://thepraguereview.com/2024/10/10/bar-and_books-manesova/
https://www.barandbooks.cz/tynska/
https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/porady/1097429889-cerne-ovce/224452801080902/
Posted by bugadvisor
Categories: Restaurants & Bars, Travel News & Tips
Tags: Anna Manzina, Bar and Books, BugAdvisor, Cigar, cocktail, Czech, Lady and the Devil, Martina Peštová, Mánesova, Prague, Raju Mirchandan, review, Robin Finesilver, Týnská, Transatlantic Connection, Voyage à trois, Zdeněk Cendra, Černé ovce
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