Videology Bar & Cinema — the Williamsburg bar that also offers video rentals and features a screening room in the back — will close by the end of the month after nearly 15 years in the neighborhood.
The bar at 308 Bedford Ave. at South First Street opened in 2003 as a video rental store and in 2012 added the bar and screening room. Since then, it has become a community spot for pop culture nerds in NYC.
It was particularly known for its events: The bar and screening room hosted themed trivia and bingo nights for 30 Rock, Stranger Things, and American Horror Story. It also became a destination for sing-along movie nights, midnight movies, and drinking games, like a recent screening of Scream where rules included drinking for every horror trope and self-aware joke.
The drinks are strong, and there are bar snacks like hot dogs, wings, and, of course, popcorn to go with the cinematic experience. And as time passed, it continued to offer movie rentals and has more than 17,000 titles in its DVD collection.
After Videology’s film and events programmer Forrest Cardamenis tweeted about the impending closure, several people started posting their eulogies for the unofficial film Twitter bar, including many film and TV critics.
Lot of good times at Videology: bluing out (that's what I call blacking out on blue hawaiis) at the Boogie Nights-themed New Year party, besting Emma Stone at 30 Rock trivia, birthdays, book parties, and so many movies. Tough loss for the town. https://t.co/0gHhYaxcCx
— Charles BrAAH!mesco (@intothecrevasse) October 16, 2018
the first NYC party I ever went to after I moved to NYC was at Videology, also the strongest drink I’ve ever had https://t.co/jSPVgXRIqO
— Amma Stefansky (@stefabsky) October 16, 2018
VIDEOLOGY IS CLOSING and this one really hurts, gang. I don't go to Williamsburg as much as I did, but Videology always felt like a home, whether it was Freaks & Geeks bingo or whatever random 70s flick they played at 2 a.m. I'll miss it dearly.
— Sam Dykstra (@Sam_Dykstra) October 16, 2018
wow wow so sad to hear about Videology! one of my fave spots in New York, where I got to meet Nicolas Winding Refn and watch THE TELEPHONE BOOK, and also see JENNIFER'S BODY. such a great place; it'll be missed.
— the (kyle) turn(er) of the screw (@TyleKurner) October 16, 2018
This is such a bummer. We had the NY screening (plus QA after) of my short film, JULY AND HALF OF AUGUST at Videology and it was a perfect venue: Low-key, but professional. Great people to work with. With every passing day, NY loses a little bit of its flavor. Really sad. https://t.co/MRDeDwAinv
— Sheila O'Malley (@sheilakathleen) October 16, 2018
I met the love of my life at Videology. This guts me. Thanks for so many happy memories. https://t.co/CTKCa7E5rD
— Prank Sinatra (@YungBidenette) October 16, 2018
I’ll never forget going to Videology for the first time after moving to NYC and finding a drink named after my favorite show Lost. It was so cool! And made New York feel like home. Gonna miss this place https://t.co/BBmOxwBijl
— radhika menon (@menonrad) October 16, 2018
The bar is set to close after business on October 27, but it will go out with a spooky bang: That night marks the bar’s annual Halloween costume party. Eater has reached out for more info.