{"id":105302,"date":"2026-01-20T01:30:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T01:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/105302\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T01:30:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T01:30:11","slug":"beloved-bed-stuy-bar-dynaco-rallies-community-support-after-fire-forces-closure-brooklyn-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/105302\/","title":{"rendered":"Beloved Bed-Stuy bar Dynaco rallies community support after fire forces closure \u2022 Brooklyn Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Dynaco\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Dynaco, a Bed-Stuy bar owned by brothers Ben and Adam Forgash, remains closed after a fire, as the community rallies behind it.<\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Dynaco<\/p>\n

A beloved Bed-Stuy<\/a>\u00a0bar faces an uncertain future after a fire tore through the upper floors of its building earlier this month, leaving the longtime community hub shuttered and its owners scrambling to rebuild.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dynaco<\/a>, a tavern that has served the neighborhood for 13 years, sustained extensive smoke and water damage following an early-morning fire on Jan. 10. While the flames did not directly reach the bar itself, the impact was severe enough to force the entire building to be vacated, shutting down all business and income overnight. No one was harmed in the fire.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a neighborhood bar in Bed-Stuy that my brother Adam and I built 13 years ago,\u201d said co-owner Ben Forgash. \u201cIt\u2019s just a wonderful community-based local tavern.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Forgash, the fire broke out around 5 a.m. on the third floor of the building. Dynaco, located on the first floor, escaped direct flames but was heavily affected by smoke and flooding from firefighting efforts, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the days since the fire, Forgash said the outpouring of support from neighbors, regulars and strangers alike has been overwhelming. A GoFundMe campaign<\/a> launched to help cover repair costs and lost income has already raised nearly $55,000, drawing donations from locals and beyond.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been just so much incredible love in the neighborhood going around,\u201d Forgash said. \u201cI feel so blessed by it. It\u2019s unbelievable.\u201d
\n\"DynacoDynaco has been in Brooklyn for 13 years, even surviving through the COVID-19 pandemic.Photo courtesy of Dynaco\n<\/p>\n

He added that even small, everyday interactions have underscored how deeply Dynaco is woven into the fabric of the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven walking down the street and running into people and seeing the GoFundMe, people just caring and names I don\u2019t even know,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople are giving, it doesn\u2019t matter how much they\u2019re giving\u2026 they want to see us rebuild.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dynaco, like many small bars and restaurants, survived the COVID-19 pandemic \u2014 a fact not lost on Forgash as the community once again rallies to keep the business alive.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the only thing I can smile about right now,\u201d he said of the support.\n<\/p>\n

Despite the fundraising momentum, the road to reopening remains complicated. Forgash said insurance coverage fell far short of what the owners believed they had, making repairs \u201cfrighteningly expensive\u201d and prompting the decision to seek public help.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe found out that our insurance wasn\u2019t as good as they said it was,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s frightening. That\u2019s why we started the GoFundMe, because we couldn\u2019t believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adding to the stress is a vacate order from the New York City Department of Buildings, which prevents any work from starting until approvals are secured \u2014 a process Forgash fears could drag on for months.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a vacate order, and these things move so slowly,\u201d he said. \u201cMeanwhile, we don\u2019t have any income.\u201d
\n\"BedA vacate order prevents Forgash and his brother from operating, leaving them without income.Photo courtesy of Dynaco\n<\/p>\n

Forgash emphasized that the damage is not beyond repair and that the owners are committed to rebuilding if given the chance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanna rebuild, we\u2019re gonna do everything we can to rebuild,\u201d he said. \u201cWe can get in there and fix it.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

For Forgash and his brother, Dynaco is far more than a business.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThis place is more than just a business for my brother and me,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is something we did together and always wanted to do and it means so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

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