Photographer Dan Root brings Manhattan bars to life in new book ‘New York Bars At Dawn’

Photographer Dan Root inside Julius’ bar, one of the many subjects of his book “New York Bars At Dawn”

Photo by Bob Krasner

It’s not easy getting a book published, but it may be even harder to promote it.  This is something that photographer Dan Root knows well by now, and he’s just getting started. His “New York Bars At Dawn” is a hardcover collection of 200 splendid images of downtown watering holes taken in the limbo hours between closing time and sunrise. 

He started the project with a photo of the 7B Horseshoe Bar (aka Vazac’s) in 2017. Bars are not the only subjects that he finds interesting – his daily Instagram posts (eight years worth to date) from his pre-dawn walks are evidence of that – but he’s documented around 1400  of the joints and it made good sense to compile the best ones in a book.  

Luckily Abbeville Press agreed and the result is in a variety of stores and, of course, on Amazon. Once the book was out, Root had to push aside the creative side of his brain and become a salesman. So far he’s presided over nine book launch events in a variety of venues, some set up by the publisher and some arranged by Root. It made sense to hold some of them in the actual locations that are featured in the book, such as Julius’ in the West Village and 7B, which graces the cover. 

Nicole Hudson, 7B’s owner, was “ super excited to find out that we were going to be on the cover of Daniel’s book. We are also very grateful to have been the bar that inspired him to do this project !” she said, adding that, “if people  purchased it off the shelf and those people judged the book by its cover, that makes us happy too!”

Other events took place at the NYC Culture Club, Untapped New York, Village Works Bookshop and McNally Jackson at the Seaport.

Root approaches each promo evening with a fairly reasonable attitude. “ Of course, I want a high turnout,” he admits. “I like to have my ego stroked – but I’m prepared…