Since the 70's, Richmonders have enjoyed the ambiance and live music in the Back Room of Bogart's. This April will be the last of the original Bogart's at 203 North Lombardy Street, as the lease will not be renewed by the new owner of the building. (per Greg Gilligan's column in this morning's RTD)
It was always a precarious situation, since the previous building owner would not provide a long-term lease -- but, that had been the case for so long, that there didn't seem to be an end in sight. Steve & Lainie Gratz bought the building a year ago, and have decided to renovate and reopen the restaurant in the spring of 2009.
While Bogart's owner, Jim Bacas, is looking for a new location for his restaurant, and the new owners of the building are planning to open in the Lombardy location, in either case Bogart's in the Fan will be changed forever. Let's hope that this change will spawn two great nightspots, rather than merely being the end of a legacy.
