Image capture March 2023 © 2025 Google

Notable because it’s already funny and because this comes from the Australian owners of Tyger, Chinese Tuxedo and 10 Bluestone Lanes, including the Tribeca one: H. caught the IG announcement for a new Aussie pub coming to 170 John, between South and Front. Old Mates will open in the former Trading Post site on Feb. 21, when every beer sale will go partly to the wildfire cause in LA.

“Aussies in NYC need a place to have a crisp cold Australian beer, to watch the AFL & NRL Finals, to cheer on the Matildas and watch The Ashes,” owner Andy Lee’s Instagram post said. “It’s taken me three years to personally build this pub with my bare hands like Noah from ‘The Notebook’. If you don’t believe me, see the last picture where I’m clearly holding a drill*…

*I helped out zero with the build.”

These guys were on the agenda for CB1’s Licensing Committee in October 2023! So he’s not kidding when he says three years… Back then they asked CB1 to be open till 4a, since the previous bar had those hours as well. The applicant made an argument that Australians here want to see events that are on during that time zone — so some of them will watch games that are broadcast live here at 2a. “We do not take lightly that we are asking for 4am, so we did our homework,” they said, which meant they got some input from neighbors.

The space is 10,000 square feet over three floors, and there’s a patio space (they said will close that at 10p).

During the meeting, the applicants said there are 25,000 Australians who live in New York City. Feels like a lot more than that!