Levee Goes Dry as “American Pie” Tavern Loses Liquor License

If you drive your Chevy to the levee you are going to find that once again "The Levee" is dry – at least until Westchester County officials relent. The operators of the Beechmont Tavern were busted for serving alcohol to minors, not having a bouncer at the door, and over-occupancy all of which comes with a $7,000 fine and a suspension of their liquor license. The bar was made famous for it’s "good old boys, drinking whiskey and rye" by singer-songwriter Don Mclean who grew up in New Rochelle, NY and graduated from Iona Prep in 1963. At that time the bar across the street from the school on North Avenue was named The Levee and was a regular hangout for Iona Prep students. The Levee later became "Tin Lizzies" and is currently called "The Beechmont Tavern". McLean’s song "American Pie", inspired by the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper in a plane crash in 1959, topped the pop charts for four straight weeks in 1971 and is still a staple on FM radio. In case you were raised in a barn, the lyrics repeatedly mention the now shuttered gin joint:

So bye-bye, miss american pie. Drove my chevy to the levee, But the levee was dry. And them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye Singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die. "this’ll be the day that I die."

The unofficial "closed for renovations" notice put up by "management" (to the left of the official notice) says they will re-open on Monday August 18th but that day has now come and gone with no sign alcohol will be served any time soon.