The Original Yunkers Bar
Childhood friends Tracy Hardy and Nate Sanders decided to join forces to bring “The Original Yunkers” Bar back to life. Both Hardy and Sanders were born and raised in Manayunk and met while attending kindergarten at James Dobson Elementary. Cresson Inn quickly became their second home once they reached 21 years old. It was a spot to drink, eat, and build connections.
During Prohibition, The Cresson Inn at 114 Gay Street in Manayunk went from an inn to a shoe store with a bustling speakeasy in the basement. It would eventually turn into a beauty parlor, then a billiard hall, and eventually a bar in 1972, when the Sanders’ family officially took over the building.
The bar has been in the Sanders family for half a century. Nate Sanders’ grandparents – Chuck Otis and Lucy Sanders founded the joint, which sits underneath the train trestle at the corner of Gay and Cresson Streets, and would eventually sell to Nate’s aunt and uncle, Dan and Shirley Sanders, in 1981. After remaining in the family for the past 50 years, the Sanders sold the establishment to the Hardys – Tracy Hardy and his wife Jennifer Gomez-Hardy who also own The New Lou & Choo’s Lounge in the city’s Hunting Park neighborhood.
Born & Raised in Manayunk
Childhood friends Tracy Hardy and Nate Sanders decided to join forces to bring “The Original Yunkers” bar back to life. Both Hardy and Sanders were born and raised in Manayunk and met while attending kindergarten at James Dobson Elementary. The Cresson Inn quickly became their second home once they reached 21 years of age. It was a spot to drink, eat, and build connections.
“I learned in elementary school that Manayunk is a Leni Lenape term that translates to ‘a place to drink,’ and the Cresson Inn has been as popular an industry destination as you’ll find in the city,” said Nate Sanders. “It has been a legendary ‘shot-and-a-beer’ workingman’s corner bar for decades, and we’re really proud to rekindle the business.”
The Cresson Inn Over the Years
During Prohibition, the Cresson Inn at 114 Gay Street in Manayunk went from an inn to a shoe store with a bustling speakeasy in the basement. Eventually, turning into a beauty parlor, then a billiard hall, and eventually a bar in 1972.
The bar has been in the Sanders family for half a century. Nate’s grandparents – Chuck Otis and Lucy Sanders founded the joint, which sits underneath the train trestle at the corner of Gay and Cresson Streets.
Nate Sanders & Tracy Hardy meet in Kindergarten at James Dobson Elementary. This is the beginning of a lifelong friendship.
Nate’s aunt and uncle, Dan and Shirley Sanders take over the Cresson Inn.
The Cresson Inn quickly became Nate & Tracy’s second home once they reached 21 years old. It was a spot to drink, eat, and build connections.
A Lifetime in Manayunk
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