Coogan's Restaurant, America's most famous track and field bar, announced on Monday that they are closing. The New York City establishment, located down the street from The Armory Track & Field Center, temporarily shut down four weeks ago to comply with the city's orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Ironically, this past March 17th would be the last time Coogan's closed its doors. We had hoped to open them again but sadly that it is not possible," a statement from the restaurant said.
Coogan's walls are filled with track and field memorabilia and it's a popular site for post-meet parties among the sport's elite. Menu items have been named after Alan Webb and Drew Hunter after their memorable performances at the Armory.
In 2018,the restaurant nearly closed after their rent was raised. But after an online petition and vocal support from Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda, a new agreement was formed and Coogan's remained open.
The bar's co-owner Peter Walsh spoke to FloTrack in 2018 and explained his origins as a track and field fan and some of his favorite memories of Coogan's.