"There was this crucial bar, Welcome to the Johnsons," Greif recalls, "it opened in 1999.
Last month in Dumbo, Brooklyn, 68 Jay Street Bar welcomed Wild Rise, 68 Jay Street (Water Street); (718) 260-8207; wildrise.com.com
Nearby, Justin Scurti, one of Saint Vitus's three music-minded owners, explained that the bar welcomed everybody, not just those who could pass for Sebastian Bach's stunt double.
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For a mellower jolt, head to the Uptown neighborhood, to Big Chicks (5024 North Sheridan Road 773-728-5511 773-728-5511 773-728-5511r that welcomes everyone.
Where to stay: Aloft Columbia Downtown, a brand-new, trendy hotel within walking distance to everything, that has comfortable rooms and a communal bar that welcomes guests in the lobby each night.
An illuminated sign above the bar declares "WELCOME," though bartenders tend toward the surly, except to drinkers who could place in a Rick Rubin lookalike contest.
The loose constructionists allow for one grandparent, thus lowering the bar to welcome the likes of the tennis great Pete Sampras and (maybe) the 1930s heavyweight champ Max Baer, whose roots remain controversial.
