Thomas "Tommy" Hanrahan

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Port Richmond has lost a beloved figure, but Tommy Hanrahan’s neighborhood establishment, Buddy’s Wonder Bar, continues to serve the community he cherished. Hanrahan, who owned the bar for 56 years after purchasing it when he was just 22, was known as a character and stable presence in the Port Richmond community.

Hanrahan was 78 when he died on June 21 after a brief illness.

“He was kind of known in the community for having a heart of gold, like the kind of guy who’d give you the shirt off his back,” said “Little Tommy,” one of Hanrahan’s two sons.

Tommy Hanrahan enjoyed his Vodka and 7UPs from a styrofoam cup from this corner seat at the bar. The stool will be preserved and his favorite drink will be $5 to all patrons going forward. (Courtesy of the Hanrahan Family)

He and his brother Joe have taken over the business.

“We joked that everyone in the neighborhood and definitely in his family owe him — but he never cared, he always just wanted to help people," said “Little Tommy.” He added, “If he only had a dollar to his name, and you needed it, he’d give it to you.”

The former owner’s favorite seat at the corner of the bar is being retired. Hanrahan once joked he would “die here” and they’d “take me out from here.” His last visit to the bar was about two to three weeks before his passing, as his health declined. The seat is now being roped off with a gold cover and will not be available for other patrons.

Over the years, Hanrahan enjoyed softball games with patrons.

Signature drink

Known for his nightly routine, the owner enjoyed Absolut vodka with 7UP, served in the bar’s Styrofoam cups. In his honor, the drink will remain priced at $5 “forever, regardless of inflation,” according to Hanrahan Jr., and will continue to be served in Styrofoam cups “as long as New York City doesn’t shut us down for the whole Styrofoam cup thing.”

Buddy's Wonder Bar

The bar hasn't changed much over the decades which is part of its charm.

The late owner attended McKee High School and had an entrepreneurial spirit. Before dedicating himself fully to the bar, he worked at a trucking company in the mornings before opening Buddy’s, and for a brief time ran a cab company on Staten Island called TJ’s Car Service.

Tommy Hanrahan enjoyed hanging out with customers at the bar.

Buddy’s Wonder Bar has a rich history in Port Richmond. The building dates back to 1920, initially serving as a retail space before becoming a bar around 1940. When the previous owner purchased it, he kept the name “Buddy’s” from the Barton family who had owned it for about 20 years prior.

Port Richmond resident James Smith said, “Tommy was the owner of Buddy’s Wonder Bar since the late 1960s. And prior to that it was owned by Buddy Barton who lived on Harrison Ave. Rumor has it that during Prohibition it was a speakeasy. It was one of the oldest true neighbor bars in Port Richmond. Everyone was welcomed. When Tommy took it over the bar thrived people say it quietly helped so many people in the area who were in need. We in Port Richmond thank him for being a part of the neighborhood for over 60 years. May he rest in peace.”

Buddy's Wonder Bar

Buddy's Wonder Bar was a speakeasy during Prohibition, according to neighborhood lore.

The Hanrahan siblings have promised to maintain the establishment as a neighborhood bar, honoring the late owner’s vision of creating a place where “people can come from all across the neighborhood, all different ethnicities and backgrounds, and feel comfortable having a drink and chopping it up.”

Buddy's Wonder Bar

The bar is located at 17 Harisson Ave., Port Richmond. (Courtesy of Tommy Hanrahan Jr.)

They also intend to preserve the bar’s unique charm as Tommy Jr. maintained, “It’s the only place on Staten Island where you can get top-shelf drinks for under 10 bucks and it feels like a dive bar but you feel safe.”

The late owner’s mantra was simple but profound: “Treat people right and they’ll be good to you.”

Hustle and heart

At Hanrahan Sr.’s 70th birthday in 2016, while surrounded by family and friends, he made it clear that his regular seat isn’t going anywhere without him.

“When I die, the seat goes with me,” Hanrahan told the Advance/SILive.com during a celebration that drew dozens of well-wishers to the neighborhood institution.

That birthday bash brought together generations of patrons, employees and family members who have made the cash-only establishment their second home. Some traveled considerable distances to honor the man who has become synonymous with one of Staten Island’s longest-standing bars.

Peggy, who had bartended at Buddies for 40 years, came all the way from Alabama for the celebration. “He puts his heart out for someone,” she said of her former boss, whom she described as generous and fair. “He gave you all your chips every time.”

Buddy's Wonder Bar

Hanrahan stuck with his daily routine which was a very social one with regulars and family alike.

The establishment has stood in Port Richmond for nearly a century, with Hanrahan taking ownership after first working there when he was just 18 years old. His son, Tommy Jr., helped organize the celebration, noting that despite attempts to get his father to move elsewhere, the elder Hanrahan’s love for Port Richmond and Staten Island kept him rooted to the community.

Tommy Hanrahan

Hanrahan would be 79 this year in September.

Coldest beer around

“My dad grew up a couple of houses right down the street here,” Tommy Jr. said. “We tried to get him to come out of New York. I lived around the country, but he just loves Port Richmond, loves Staten Island and all his customers too.”

The bar maintains its old-school atmosphere with a long bar, pool table, and the signature Styrofoam cups that have become part of its charm. Rob Anger, Hanrahan’s brother-in-law who has known him since 1966, described what makes Buddy’s special: “It’s the neighborhood bar. Everybody in here lived in their neighborhood at one time, so it still has its hometown vibe.”

When asked what it meant to have so many people celebrate his birthday, Hanrahan simply said, “It’s a pleasure to have friends like this,” adding that the turnout “tells you how nice people are.”

Tommy Hanrahan

The bar is open daily going forward and will host an "Irish wake" for the next week.

Despite facing challenges, including an armed robbery in 2016, Buddies Wonder Bar remained a neighborhood favorite where, as Tommy Jr. described it, the atmosphere is “genuine” and “old school.”

“They know your name when you walk in,” he said, capturing the essence of a place that has withstood the test of time under Hanrahan’s stewardship.

A rep for the Port Richmond-North Shore Alliance said, “On occasion we stopped in to see if everything was OK and if there were any issues. The owner always welcomed us to come on. And during the hot weather times as we are feeling today, you can always rely on Buddy’s Wonder Bar of having the coldest Hienekens available. This week, we lost a piece of history in Port Richmond."

In honor of the late owner, the bar is planning a week-long celebration of his life, following his request for “an old school Irish wake” where people could “just throw a party for a week.” The memorial events will include a singer on Friday night, a DJ on Saturday, and an all-day barbecue with a live band on Sunday.

Arrangements are at Harmon Funeral Home at 571 Forest Ave., West Brighton on Thursday, June 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. The funeral mass will be held at Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church at 30 Manor Rd. on Friday, June 27 at 11 a.m.