STEVE’S SOAPBOX A CORNER OF HISTORY By Steve Kim
Fly Saudia to the world
S ince 1971, Jimmy’s Corner has stood at 140 W. 44th Street in New York City, half a block east of Times Square. Founded by the late Jimmy Glenn, it has weathered the test of time. As the Big Apple has gone through several versions of itself and retail gentrification has taken over, this bar has remained the same, becoming an institution to locals and a destination for visitors. Boxing fans flock to it like tourists flock to the Statue of Liberty. The modern amenities are non- existent (don’t ask for their WiFi) and there are very few frills. That’s part of its charm and authenticity. If you want a cozy space where you can still have $3 beers and some laughs, this is your spot. Yeah, other places are more comfortable, but there isn’t a place with a better atmosphere. You can’t get this at Buffalo Wild Wings or Dave & Buster’s. When the beloved Glenn passed away in 2020 at the age of 89, ownership was taken over by his son Adam, a graduate of Harvard Law School who returned to run the family business.
For boxing fans, Jimmy’s Corner in New York City is more than just a bar.
But in December, it was reported that The Durst Organization, which owns the property, attempted to evict them over a clause that was in the last lease that Jimmy signed. Adam decided to counterpunch and has now gone on the offensive. “The latest right now is that according to the landlord, they have canceled our lease,” Glenn told Ring Magazine in mid-January. “According to us, the provision that they’re relying on to cancel our lease should be invalid. We each have parallel legal cases that we have brought and we’re just starting out the fight.” Throughout the decades, the relationship between the landlord and tenant was a good one. When asked if all of this has shocked him, Glenn stated, “It surprised me in the sense that there’s a mechanism in our existing lease for them to be able to get me out of this space. [...] I didn’t know this provision was out there ’til about two years ago. “It’s surprising that they tried to do this in such an ugly way. It’s not shocking to me that at some point [they
thought] that they could make more money by selling the building. But the way they’ve gone about doing it has been very surprising.” This conflict has gone mainstream in New York, covered extensively by local news outlets. Again, this isn’t your normal watering hole. It reached icon status decades ago. The Durst Organization released this statement to New York City TV station WPIX: “For decades, we did everything we could to help keep the bar’s doors open including providing extremely favorable rent. After Jimmy’s tragic death, we decided to sell the building and we went above and beyond our lease obligations. We told Adam Glenn over a year ago he would have to vacate the building, we offered him $250,000 even though we were not required to do so, and allowed the bar to remain open longer. These efforts have not been met
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