On Prospect Park West, a Tale of Two Bars

Forget different sides of the aisle. Try different sides of Prospect Park West.

When it comes to politics, Farrell’s Bar & Grill and the Double Windsor, which sit kitty-corner from one another on PPW, are like black and white—or red and blue, if you will.

In many ways, the two bars represent the dichotomy of Windsor Terrace itself—Farrell’s is a storied watering hole populated by generations of cops and firefighters, while the Double Windsor serves up craft brews to the neighborhood’s newer denizens, mainly creative types who favor plaid shirts and vintage bicycles.

It should come as no surprise then, that on Tuesday night as the last voters cast their ballots, the divide of PPW never looked so wide .

Of the dozen or so occupants lining the bar at Farrell’s, every one we spoke with voted for Romney (with the exception of a few drinkers who opted not to comment, and one gentleman from Australia.)

“I like what I hear from Romney versus what I’ve seen from Obama,” said a Windsor Terrace resident named Charlie, who declined to give his last name.

“He weakened my military, he weakened my economy, he forgot about the separation of church and state,” said Thomas Botti. “And I don’t need another $1 trillion burden on my shoulders.”

A man who goes by Jay felt similarly.

“I voted for Romney to preserve the U.S.,” he said. “[Obama] has committed several impeachable offenses. He’s a liar.”

Just across the way at Double Windsor, reaction skewed starkly in the opposite direction. 

“Romney scares me,” said South Slope resident Elvira Moran. “I hate the idea of a business man running the country. I don’t like that mentality.”

“I prefer Obama over Romney 1,000 times. I believe he’s headed in the right direction,” said Kenneth Britt, also from South Slope. 

Windsor Terrace resident Merrill Frew said she voted for Obama on the basis of civil rights, citing specifically women’s rights, gay rights and “the rights of people who aren’t wealthy from birth.”

It’s easy to see how such contrary positions might breed contempt, but no one at Farrell’s nor the Double Windsor seemed to mind sharing the street with political rivals. 

“You want my honest opinion? I think it’s awesome,” said Kate Mattison, who has tended bar at the Double Windsor for two years. “I like them. I think the rivalry is made up.”

Even Farrell’s decidedly gruffer clientele feels no ill will toward the Other Bar.

“They’re yuppies,” said Lou Dabrowski from his perch at the end of the bar at Farrell’s. “But that’s one business, and this is another. They have their opinions, and we have our opinions.”

“We hope they last 1,000 years, and us too.”