La Negrita bar gets an 11th-hour reprieve

Local bar-goers breathed a sigh of relief on Friday when La Negrita, purportedly days away from permanently shutting its doors, announced that it would continue to serve locals and students under new management.

Eric Johnson will take over as manager and owner of the bar, located on 109th Street and Columbus Ave., replacing owners Mike and Sandy Savage and manager Jared Cardon.

According to Cardon, Johnson “is going to have more resources and motivation to weather the economic storm,” confirming that the current owners could not keep the business going at a profit.

Johnson, who previously worked as a waiter at the Four Seasons restaurant in Midtown, seemed excited to own and manage a bar for the first time.

He has been in the restaurant and bar business since he was 15, and 23 years later, said he was eager to take on the challenge of running La Negrita.

“This will be my first adventure of learning how to run a business,” Johnson said, adding that he planned to keep La Negrita the same, only “making it a little nicer” by “adding art on the walls” and “fixing the toilet.”

Johnson said that he was attracted to La Negrita for its “loungey feel,” as well as the neighborhood, which he said “is up and coming.”

Cardon expressed gratitude for Johnson’s appreciation of La Negrita.

“He likes the quirky nature and wants to keep everything the same,” Cardon said.

Though Johnson was enthusiastic about his new job, he also noted that the business deal felt somewhat rushed. “It all happened so quickly,” he said.

Cardon had known for days that the deal was likely, but because “nothing was confirmed,” the bar had to operate on the assumption that it would be closing.

Johnson said he plans to spend a few weeks getting used to the place and the customers before implementing any changes. He also noted that while he wants to continue to “court” Columbia students, it is a “tough situation, since a lot of Columbia students are under 21.”
“We don’t want to be known as the bar that has underage drinking, but we do want this to be a fun place for them to come once they are legal,” he said.

On Friday night, La Negrita offered special deals on drinks, encouraging the neighborhood to enjoy cocktails, music, and dance. The night—initially intended as a lament to the bar’s closing—was transformed into a celebration of its endurance. According to Cardon, the crowd “partied a lot.”

The bartenders also said they were happy about La Negrita’s fate.

“This is a neighborhood bar. All my friends come here,” bartender Mefaret Aktas said. “This bar is all about the people who come here, and I’m glad I’m going to stay. It is my job, and I want to keep it.”
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