#bushwick bars

Arts in Bushwick: Tell me a little about the origin story of this bar.

We founded it in 2009, and it was the height of the housing crisis slump where everything went to shit a little bit. Around that time I worked at this bar in the city they would have these pink slip parties for Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs, and then every shift after would go down.

We had played trivia out at Wreck Room a few times [which led to finding Pine Box’s space]. And the real estate lady just laughed at us. “Why do you want to do a bar here? Nobody lives here.” Whatever! And as it turns out it worked out really perfectly.

AiB: The bar is famously converted from a casket factory...

I will say we stayed the night in here the first night we got the space - got a tent and slept in here. It’s not haunted, and we tried not to make the bar too goth or dark. You’ve got to embrace the fact that it was never going to be a romantic little martini bar. You are drinking in an old factory, and drinking in an old casket factory is kind of cool.

AiB: How have you seen the neighborhood change since you started in 2009? And what else would you like to see change?

It’s been amazing. It’s night and day. Every single week you have another bar or restaurant opening. Mostly around the Jefferson stop, because I think it’s a different community board so it’s easier to get a liquor license.

I would like to see more trees. And more streetside amenities. I like how gritty it is, but we just got bike racks last month. So it can be kind of sketchy, you know?  We need curbside amenities that actually serve the people that live here. That mall that’s opening [on Bogart] is going to be all Urban Outfitters and Starbucks. But what would be really awesome is a grocery store.

AiB: Pine Box is hosting several events for Bushwick Open Studios. What are you most excited about?

We’re having events every night. We’re co-hosting an event with Truck Yeah, which is a mobile arts project. They’re going to take over all of Grattan Street with art trucks, performance art, and some of the trucks will have food. On Friday afternoon we’re doing a comedy hour - we have a lot of comedy shows with all the local comedians. And we’re having modern dance with BacKSpace on Friday night, which is very DJ/performance based. On Saturday we’re having live music, and on Sunday night the Bushwick Film Festival is having their Bushwick Open Studios event here.

Pine Box Rock Shop is located at 12 Grattan St.