Ludwika "Lucy" Mickevicius has tended bar at what used to be know as Blanche's for 35 years, the last 17 as owner. But even before she assumed ownership she had become so ubiquitous that her name was painted above the door, sometime back in the early 1990's. It was prior owner Blanche's way of passing the baton, and whether you refer to the bar at 135 Avenue A as Blanche's or Lucy's very much depends on when you arrived in the East Village. Mickevicius, a stout, stocky woman with shock of a blond wig and a happy-go-lucky attitude is now in her 70's. Yet, she dutifully opens the bar each evening and doles out drinks (Pabst Blue Ribbon is the most popular) until 4 a.m. Lucy's is one of the few business' untouched by the rampant gentrification of the East Village, and stepping into the place is like stepping back in time.
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The 8:00 P.M. Scene at East Village Dive Lucy's, Where Lucy Herself Still Presides After 35 Years
Step inside one of the few remaining dive bars in the East Village.
