After 23 Years Popular Capital Region Bar Sold! What’s Next?

We found out last month that a popular bar and restaurant on a busy stretch of Route 9 in Latham was closing after twenty-three years. We now know what is going to happen to J.J. Rafferty's Bar & Grill and it's something completely different.

There's A New Owner, But a Familiar One

Although J.J. Rafferty's Bar & Grill will be gone forever, a familiar tenant will be taking over the space. Anyone who has gone to J.J. Rafferty's for live music or a drink knows that the parking lot is not huge. But they shared the lot with Master Yang's Martial Arts Center and signs were posted everywhere about designated parking spots.

What's The Plan?

The owners of Master Yang's Martial Arts Center, II Nam Yang and his wife Moon Joo Yang bought the property for $875,000. They want to revamp the bar and restaurant into a training area but they must first get the approval from the town of Colonie.

The plan is to use the almost three thousand square foot building for Krav Maga lessons and for classes offered to those under sixteen. Before any of the renovations can happen, they have to sell the bar and restaurant equipment left inside.

What Does Master Yang's Martial Arts Center Offer?

The center was started twenty-three years ago and offers three styles of martial arts. They offer Taekwondo, Kummooyeh, and Krav Maga. They currently have five hundred students of all ages. They also offer after-school programs