Small Business Saturday Welcome Wagon (File Photo: Kambri Crews/QED)
Dec. 17, 2024 By Shane O’Brien
Just when it seemed like the final curtain was about to fall, Q.E.D. Astoria is getting an encore.
Q.E.D. Astoria founder and creative director Kambri Crews announced she had found a buyer for the beloved entertainment venue after revealing last month that it would close for good.
On Nov. 21, Crews shared that Q.E.D., located at 27-16 23rd Ave., would close in early 2025. Reflecting on her decade-long run in Astoria, she expressed pride in what she had accomplished but admitted she had reached the end of the road as Q.E.D.’s creative director.
At the time, Crews said she was happy to bow out on her own terms but remained open to offers that could allow Q.E.D. to continue.
“Let it live on. Please come and make me an offer,” Crews said in her announcement video.
In a follow-up video on Dec. 12, Crews revealed that she is selling the venue to comedian and Astoria resident Hannah Lieberman, who has been a regular producer of shows at Q.E.D.
Lieberman will officially take over Q.E.D. on March 1, 2025. Crews shared that she received numerous offers but chose Lieberman because of her close relationship with the venue.
“The QED that you know and love is going to stay here,” Crews said in the video alongside Lieberman. “I’ve been in comedy for 25 years. Hannah’s 25 years younger than me, so she’s got the energy, and it’s out with the old and in with the new.”
Crews also expressed gratitude for the “outpouring of support” she received since announcing Q.E.D.’s closure and added that she is ready to “move on” from the venue.
Crews additionally called on Q.E.D. patrons to support Lieberman in her first months as the venue’s owner, stating that she is passing the reins to someone she trusts.
“I would not choose someone who I did not fully believe was invested in the mission and the community,” Crews said.
“Hannah is a first-time business owner in New York City, and so remember all that sadness and love and support that you had whenever you thought I was closing Q.E.D.? Well, guess what? You can harness all of that, channel it, shower it upon Hannah. She’s going to need your support in this first year, especially.”
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