When Patrick Kenny opened Kenny’s Castaways in 1967, the New York City downtown music scene was at its peak. Nearly half a century of musical history later, the Castaways closed due to economic difficulties on Oct. 1.

Kenny’s original venue opened on 84th Street between Second and Third avenues in an attempt to bring the ’60s downtown music scene to an uptown crowd.

“It was a music scene that needed to be created up there,” said Maria Kenny, Patrick Kenny’s daughter.

A few years later, in the mid-’70s, the venue relocated to Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village. In these early days, Kenny’s was home to famous acts like Yoko Ono, Aerosmith and Bruce Springsteen. The venue welcomed new and established musical talents and served as a place for musicians to grow and support each other.

Other notable performers at the downtown location have included the New York Dolls, Rod Stewart and Patti Smith. They played a wide variety of music, from folk to jazz to rock ‘n’ roll. At first, Patrick booked performers, but soon after the venue’s opening the musicians were coming to him.

“My dad was very sociable, always talking to people, and musicians would just gravitate towards him,” Maria  Kenny said. “The popularity of the venue was due to a mix between the time, when music was at its greatest, and my dad’s charisma.”

The vibrant and supportive community helped the venue’s legacy of introducing budding muscians continue when Patrick passed away in 2002.

In fact, Kenny’s has helped foster some of NYU’s aspiring artists. Steinhardt freshman Billy Richling performed with a seven-person jazz and hip-hop group at Kenny’s in April 2011.

“It was actually our first time performing in Manhattan, so to be able to have that on our résumé is just really cool,” Richling said. “Small venues like this help drive us forward. There are so few places on Bleecker like [Kenny’s].”

Kenny’s Castaways is one of the last holdouts that has a history of being a mom-and-pop venue, and while there have been many similar venues that have come and gone, Kenny’s managed to keep its head above water until recently.

“I am very sad to see it go, but it’s just a sign of the times,” Maria said. “The environment is not what it used to be, and it is too economically difficult to maintain.”

Although Kenny’s is closing its doors, it will not be forgotten anytime soon. The venue, which created music history for the past 45 years, was inducted into the New York Blues Hall of Fame last year.

To mark its end, Kenny’s Castaways will host a free show tonight at 8 p.m. at 157 Bleecker St. Attendees must be 21 or older to enter.

A version of this article appeared in the Oct. 1 print edition. Jennifer Lu is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].