This intersection was, and still is, a thriving hub where all strata of society converge. People called him 'The Godfather.' The atmosphere, demographic, and name of The Terminal Bar were dictated by its location: directly across from Port Authority. Over the years he became an important figure in the Times Square scene. At the time, his brother-in-law Bernie and cousin Arnie ran a Manhattan bar called the Peppermint Lounge, and they encouraged him to get in the business, too. 'In 1956 my grandfather Murray Goldman acquired the lease.
The Terminal Bar was put together by Stefan Nadelman, who writes in the introduction: The place-which transformed from an Irish to a gay bar over time-survived through 1982 (the New York Times Building is there now), and a photo book was just published documenting its final decade. Even if you were never one of the down-and-outs on the inside, you probably know it from Taxi Driver, or this doc:
The Terminal Bar's neon signs flickered at the southeast corner for decades, a false beacon of hope in a darker part of town. Port Authority Bus Terminal has been looming over it since the 1950s, and around that same time what would become one of the city's most notorious dive bars opened its door across the street. The intersection of 41st Street and 8th Avenue is possibly one of the most dismal in New York City's history.
