On its final night, Bed-Vyne Brew, a beloved bar in Bedford Stuyvesant that closed on Saturday, was filled with patrons who all agreed on one thing: they’d miss the people the most.
Since its opening in 2013, Bed-Vyne Brew, or affectionately known as The Brew, was always filled with lively music and young Brooklynites sipping a drink on the front patio on Tompkins and Putnam Avenues. It quickly became a popular gathering space that fostered community— and the turnout on its final night on Saturday made that undeniable.
“I actually had things to do today, and I canceled my plans. We are paying our respects,” said Marc Jean, a Flatbush resident who has been coming to The Brew for over six years.
“Where do we go as Black people, we all come from every borough, every neighborhood in Brooklyn. With a lot of these places closing, where do we go now,” Jean added.
The Brew was deeply woven into the fabric of Bed-Stuy’s Black community, as long-time patrons expressed their disbelief that the bar was actually closing.
Tyler Barton, who moved to the neighborhood two years ago and was a Brew regular, said the place provided a space for connection and comfort.
“There’s a sense of belonging here that you don’t get everywhere,” she said.
The community was aghast when the owners in January said they had to temporarily shut down as it felt like it was targeted by various city agencies.
Michael Brooks, a co-owner, alongside Rotimi Akinnuoye, Ayo Akinnuoye and Peter Medford, said he felt pressure after the leadership changed at the 79th Police Precinct in late 2023.
“They weaponized as many agencies as they could against us,” Brooks said, noting the many citations they got from various city agencies over noise and public safety. “[This] made it financially infeasible for us to continue. They didn’t want us here anymore and they made sure that was the case.”
The 79th Precinct declined to comment on the matter, referring BK Reader to the Police Department's spokesperson, who did not return calls or emails for comment.
As community members gathered to pay tribute to the establishment, Rotimi Akinnyoye stood at the top of the patio to thank the crowd who had come to say goodbye.
“We wanted to thank everybody for twelve years of Bed-Vyne Brew. I know that people are sad but this is not an occasion to be sad. This is community,” Akinnyoye said. “It is critical that we own our own property. Even though the precinct gave us a rough time and we’re shutting down, we own the building so we’re not going anywhere!”
Many residents credited Bed-Vyne Brew for creating the cultural and commercial vibrancy seen on Tompkins Avenue today.
“This is a magical place. When one door closes, three more open. We’ll evolve into something different. It won’t be a brick-and-mortar anymore, but we’ll always have the memories,” said Brooks with tears in his eyes.
