Kraine Gallery Bar showcases poets amidst Russian memorabilia

Nestled amidst artsy underground bars and small authentic restaurants, Kraine Gallery Bar (or KGB, as it’s more commonly known, on East Fourth Street between Second and Third avenues) has been one of the East Village’s most reputable bars since its opening in 1993. KGB is a place where the written and social worlds intersect, welcoming acclaimed poets and authors for readings each week, which is perhaps why it was named the best literary venue by New York Magazine and The Village Voice.

With red walls and hanging portraits of former Soviet leaders and USSR memorabilia, KGB has a post-1917 Russia feel. Its dim lighting and antiquated chandeliers provide an intimate setting for the creative energies of its featured writers.

KGB sprang into existence from Ukrainian Labor Home, a bar and restaurant founded in 1948 with a history as a gathering spot for socialists. When the Ukrainian Labor Home went out of business, current KGB owner Denis Woychuk started a bar that would preserve its Eastern European identity and political importance. Woychuk conceptualized KGB as a place where writers would read and interact with the audience over a drink.

“We wanted writers. Writers who would come and read their work for no pay but a few free drinks. KGB would be open to the public without charging a cover. Drinking would be encouraged but not required,” proclaims Woychuk on the bar’s Web site.

This remains the premise of KGB, where each week the venue welcomes poets and writers to share their best and latest work. While Sunday evenings are dedicated to fiction, most other days of the week are reserved for poetry readings. KGB also has its own online literary magazine, which publishes short stories, essays, features, reviews, previews, as well as music and videos.
KGB has welcomed such writers as John Ashbery and Molly Peacock in the past, and more recently poets Amy Lawless and Patricia Carlin. The published work of the featured writers is available at the bar and can be bought at the end of each session from Mobile Libris NYC, a traveling East Village bookstore.

On Sunday, from 7-9 p.m., KGB will welcome Brian Deleeuw and James Lasdun for fiction night. Poet, novelist, and screenwriter Lasdun has taught at both Columbia and Princeton, and is the author of “Seven Lies.” Deleeuw will read from his novel “In This Way I Was Saved.”

KGB’s charm and convivial intellectual atmosphere make it a definite crown jewel of the East Village. It is the perfect place to go for a reading from a favorite contemporary writer or a great conversation and Russian-inspired drink. Visit kgbbar.com/calendar to view upcoming events.