A new Greenwood Heights watering hole is gearing up for its long-awaited grand opening next Friday, offering locals a new joint to kick back with a cold brew.
Sandy Jack’s, located on Fifth Avenue between 20th and 21st streets, was dreamt up by two city public school teachers, Michael Thayer and Kevin Valenza, who both are in the same billiards league, and got familiar with the neighborhood when playing in the area.
Brooklyn Paper first reported on the incoming bar in early June and the co-owners didn’t know when they’d be allowed to open due to licensing issues with the State Liquor Authority.
Now, though as summer nears its end, the pair got the approvals, and they immediately announced a grand opening for Aug. 27.
The grand opening is planned to showcase what the brand-new bar has to offer sprinkled with specialties for that night only, like outside food vendors and free prizes, said Thayer, who previously co-owned Camp in Carroll Gardens before it closed during the pandemic.
Sandy Jack’s will open for its first day of business at 3 pm in time for its full Happy Hour when drinks will be served up buy-one, get-one free until 7 pm — with the drink special starting two hours before what was originally planned back in June, the owners told Brooklyn Paper.
On one of the taps will be their own brewed beer, SJ Lager, and the menu will include two specialty cocktails, named the Sandy and the Jack — an homage to their dogs, who the bar is named after.
“We will have the typical stuff behind the bar, but we have some elevated cocktails and some elevated spirits,” Thayer said.
Sandy Jack’s will regularly serve Brooklyn’s own Table 87 pizza, as well as beef patties and a nacho platter — with plans to add more pickins’ as the co-owners get a taste for what their patrons are looking for.
Update (Aug. 17 at 2:25 pm): The story has been updated to reflect the correct date of the grand opening next Friday, Aug. 27.
