Willett's NYC

Together with Willett's Strategic Partnership with Seaport Entertainment Group, the Entrance to the Historic South Street Seaport is being Reshaped & Anchored by one of its Oldest and Most Historic Buildings, Now the Home of Willett's!

Willett's is officially in the build-out phase and ready to take physical shape.

Prior to our opening in Summer of 2026 - Willett's will continue to be introduced to the neighborhood and broader community through Major Events & pop-ups, Media Exposure, etc.

Its OFFICIAL - 3 Major Outdoor Events will be held by Willett's on the Historic Cobblestones Prior to Our Targeted Opening during the month of August 2026.

Events like these are not a One - Year Moment.

The Seaport — and the buzz surrounding it — is unlike anything New York City has seen in decades.

This is Not a Trend-Driven Concept - It is a Permanent One!

In 2025 Willett's Events Included:

2025 Taste of the Seaport

Willett's Pier 17 Booth had over 500 visitors stop by to sample 2 of our upcoming Signature Cocktails while raising funds for 2 neighborhood Schools during this 4 hour event now in its 19th year.

2025 Architects Museum of London's - Gingerbread City Exhibit (Now In its 10th Year in London & 3rd year in NYC)

Willett's was invited to set up & operate Our Cafe Concept: Cafe Spinone in the NYC exhibit for month of December 2025 where we introduced our exclusive collaboration with the Oldest Coffee Merchant in America - Gillies Coffee!

This highly trafficked event saw over 7000 attendees during the month of December with children making Gingerbread houses upstairs while parents wandered around viewing the Gingerbread Houses made & displayed by several of NYC top Architectural Firms that surrounded the Holiday Trains etc.

The Gillies Cafe at Willett's Will be the very first Gillies Cafe in the World!

This Month long event received countless Social Media (Over 200 Millions Clicks) & Local & National Television News Coverage in Both London & NYC with Willett Himself making his appearance on one of the Top Rating Morning Show Segments in America!

2025 NYC Seaport Tree Lighting Ceremony

Willett's hosted the Main Bar just outside our doorsteps where over 1000 Spectators were able to gather around the 65 foot Tree for the Seaports Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony ~ Kicking Off The Holiday Season

This Annual Event positions the Seaport's Tree less than 50 feet from Willett's Doors adjacent to the Lighthouse (Memorial to the Titanic Survivors) which draws Thousands of visitors to the Seaport throughout the Holiday Season & Year Long!

2026 Upcoming Events:

250th Anniversary of the United States ~ July 4th

The Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks came to the Seaport in 2025 & has committed to the Seaport for the coming years.

July 4th 2026 - The Entrance to the South Street Seaport where Willett's sits will see over 250,000 spectators as they gather on Cobblestone Street in front of Willett's to view this historic & highly Media Coverage event in July.

Live Music from several of the Top A List Musicians in the World will take place on the Rooftop at Pier 17 (See more about this Amazing Concert Venue below)

Willett's Outdoor Seating will be available for 3 Time slots on July 4th 2026 with A full bar & an Incredible July 4th Barbecue in Collaboration with one of NYC's Oldest BBQ Venues!

Willett's will be limiting seating with only 300 tickets being sold (100 per Seating Time slot) throughout the day. (See attached)

Tickets for the BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE will be going on sale May 1st 2026.

Tickets are expected to sell out within days as they will be listed on sites like: Stub Hub & Seat Geek!

For Early Waitlist Email Willett's at: [email protected]

Early Waitlist Contacts will receive an email with a link to purchase tickets 24 hours before tickets go on sale.

Don't Miss out on the BEST seats Anywhere 250th Anniversary & the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks in the Seaport ~ NYC

HUGE NEWS ~ The Pier 17 Live Nation Concert Series was just listed (February 2026) by Rolling Stone as the #1 Outdoor Music Venue in the US

Live Nations Pier 17 Concert Series has just renewed for another 5 year term beginning in 2026

Between 2500-3000 Concertgoers per event attend over 40 Concerts Per Season passing by Willett's on the way to and from each concert!

2026 World Cup Weekend July 18th & July 19th

Saturday 18th @ 5pm: The Bronze Final ~ Live from Hard Rock Stadium Miami - Seating begins at 3 pm

Sunday 19th @ 3pm: World Cup Final ~ Live from Metlife Stadium NY/NJ - Seating begins at 1 pm

Watch the Games on the two 10 foot Screens positioned on the Historic Cobblestones in front of Willett's while enjoying a Full bar & Fare the Willett's Way

No ticket purchase is required for the World Cup Weekend Seating

• However Reservations are a MUST!

Please Note: Email Willett's to be placed on the World Cup Seating List

World Cup Event Seating will be locked in the order of received emails only.: [email protected]

The momentum is real & The Willett's brand already exists.

The merchandise is already in motion — with hundreds of pending orders before the doors are even open.

New York City has Never Been Defined by Restaurants Alone!

It has always been defined by DESTINATIONS!

For generations, people from around the world have crossed oceans and borders to stand in places that mean something — places that tell the story of America and the city that shaped it.

They pass through Ellis Island, where millions entered a new life.

They see the Statue of Liberty, where hope first came into view.

They cross the Brooklyn Bridge, stroll Central Park, and trace the original shoreline of commerce and trade at the South Street Seaport — where New York first met the world.

Those places aren't trends. They are references.

At the very entrance to the Historic South Street Seaport — beside the lighthouse, on original cobblestones, in the most historic building at the gateway to New York City's Waterfront — Willett's ~ NYC is being created to join that lineage.

Not as another bar ~ Not as another restaurant

But as a True New York Destination — the kind people are told they have to experience.

Much like when you travel to Martha's Vineyard and there's no debate about where you go — you simply go to The Black Dog. You don't compare it. You don't analyze it. You buy the shirt, you tell the story, and decades later it's still the reference point.

That isn't Marketing ~ That's Permanence.

That is exactly what Willett's is being built to become.

When people think Historic Seaport, New York City — they will think Willett's.

Even Willett's Cafe tells that story:

Long before New York became the financial capital of the world, it was the port.

When tea was being thrown overboard in Boston Harbor, coffee was quietly arriving through the Port of New York — fueling merchants, dockworkers, traders, and the early growth of the city. Coffee's rise in America began here, not as a trend, but as a foundation of commerce and daily life.

Willett's honors that overlooked chapter of history through its café, which will be the first and only Gillies Café - The Oldest Coffee Merchant in America, Gillies Coffee Company, founded in New York in 1840.

This is historically accurate storytelling — tying the port, the cobblestones, the building, and the trade routes that built New York directly into the guest experience.

It is Collaborations like this — Authentic, Historic, and Intentional — that turn Venues into True Destinations.

Willett's Update:

After many months navigating the bureaucracy and red tape that comes with restoring and activating a landmark building dating back to 1865, Willett's is now through the most difficult phase of the project.

Original brick has been restored one brick at a time.

As of March 1st 2026 - Almost all Landmark approvals have been received.

We are also extremely pleased to share that on February 4th 2026 - Willett's received official liquor license approval for all three bars and the full outdoor space at Willett's ~ NYC from the New York State Liquor Authority.

According to our liquor license counsel, receiving full approval in less than 6 months is highly uncommon in Manhattan — particularly for a multi-bar concept with outdoor service & especially at a Historic Location with an address that has never been Hospitality, F&B or held a liquor license previously.

This accelerated timeline reflects the strength of our submission, the preparation behind the project, and the credibility of the overall concept.

Equally important, the Manhattan Community Board is extremely supportive of Willett's.

Their enthusiasm and input unquestionably contributed to the swift approval process.

Community alignment is critical in Lower Manhattan, and their support reinforces that Willett's is viewed as a cultural and historic asset to the Seaport — not simply another hospitality venue.

This milestone further strengthens our position as we move toward final build-out and launch.

With licensing secured for:

· The Lamp Post Tavern · The Booth & Barrel Bar · The Brown Water Well (Speakeasy) · Full Outdoor Cobblestone Seating

Willett's is now fully approved from a regulatory standpoint.

As we push forward toward opening, we are strategically positioning Willett's to take full advantage of what will be one of the most significant summers the Seaport has ever experienced.

The full permitting process — including liquor licensing, Community Board review, and agency coordination — is Complete.

The Full Final Set of Construction Documents Have been filed with NYC - DOB & all Permits have been filed for all Work (Mechanical, Plumbing, Construction, Electrical & LPC)

The Community Board didn't just approve Willett's — they embraced it.

The project has been welcomed by the neighborhood, local stakeholders, and city partners as something genuinely special for both the Seaport and New York City.

Full outdoor seating approval has been secured, including over 100 seats on the Historic cobblestones, and those Cobblestones are Programmed for 8 Major Events Hosted by Willett's Per Year.

Some candid context.

The owner of Willett's has invested in restaurant groups over the years and knows the business well — including exactly what not to build.

Willett's is not a platform play, not a roll-up, and not a concept chasing scale.

It is a Passion Project Rooted in History, Permanence, and Place.

The Seaport is becoming a destination, and Willett's sits directly at its entrance in one of the most historic buildings in the district, adjacent to one of the oldest museums in the country and next to a historic lighthouse that may soon host its own annual celebration.

When people travel to New York and think about where they want to visit, they always think about places like the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, or Grand Central. Increasingly, they are now thinking about another destination - The Seaport.

Just as visitors to Martha's Vineyard always have to make a stop at the famous "Black Dog Tavern," Willett's will become that "Black Dog Tavern" of NYC's Famous South Street Seaport.

Once again, what's happening here in the Seaport and why Willett's is not just a bar or restaurant is Enormous.

This is a true destination, and one that those invited to be an investor in should seriously consider.

Final Renditions of the actual Venues are now available in the Presentation at: www.Willetts-NYC.com

Please take the time to watch the entire Presentation on the Website listed above!