Manhattan bar stays in business thanks to loyal patron

Aabir Das still has a lot to learn behind the bar.

“I’ve never worked in the industry,” said Das, the owner of the bar Keats in Midtown East.

But that did not stop him from saving his favorite neighborhood bar when it was in danger of closing this winter. He’s a lawyer with the Legal Aid Society by day and now also the owner of Keats.

What You Need To Know

• Aabir Das has been a loyal patron of Keats in Midtown East for a decade
• The bar was struggling through the pandemic due to COVID-19 restrictions
• He used his life savings to buy the bar

• Das says the bar’s family-like atmosphere is why he took it over

“I was kind of in a position where the old owners were not able to keep it anymore so I was able to move things around and pick it up. For me, it was just saving something that I cherish,” Das said. “I know a lot of the ins and outs, the vibe, the feel of it, so the learning curve has been a lot easier.”

In the pandemic, the bar stayed open for…

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