Similar
Stories
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Lakewood Bar and Grill shut down on Wednesday
Locked out for non-payment of rent.
DALLAS — The Lakewood Bar and Grill closed abruptly on Wednesday, with the news delivered via a lock-out and "non-payment of rent" sign taped to the front door.
Word began circulating on Wednesday afternoon among musicians who were booked to play this week. Emmeline was slated for Wednesday night, with Bigelow Station on Thursday and Poison Cherry on Saturday.
The bar's management finally got around to posting a message on its Facebook page at 6 p.m.
"I am sad to say that after 18 years of serving the Lakewood area the LBG is closed! Thank you to all the bands that played and for all the customers that patronized us. To all the bands that are booked I appologize for the last-minute notice."
One of the narrow little storefronts running along Gaston in the center of Lakewood, the "LBG" was conceived by original owners Susan and Michael Maher and Barbara and Richard Cantillon as a neighborhood tavern. More recently, it had become a reliable place for local bands to play.
Posters in the front window showed bands booked all the way through October. But the venue stopped hosting its Monday night Jazz Jam Sessions in February.
At the end of August, a new booking agent was hired, Jeff Schattle. "What a crappy day!" he posted on his Facebook page at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. "Car won't start in morning and have to miss work and then the Lakewood Bar and Grill the club I just started booking, closes down."
Schattle was unavailable for comment.
Nearby stories
- UPDATED: Paleo-inspired restaurant HG Sply Co. adds lunch menu
- Venue review: Three Links in Deep Ellum slings craft beer in rockin' atmosphere
- Dave Chappelle headlines Oddball Comedy festival in Dallas
- Theater review: STT adeptly handles dense and dark Gruesome Playground Injuries
- UPDATED: Mumford & Sons canceled Tuesday show in Dallas for medical emergency
Faved or commented on by...
Related events
Latest Contests
Latest comments...
Venue review: Three Links in Deep Ellum slings craft beer in rockin' atmosphere
YNWA, let us know what you think!
New restaurant House 34 will open on McKinney Avenue in Uptown
Ha, good point! To their credit, I believe as of today they got in touch with the band and are agree
Venue review: Three Links in Deep Ellum slings craft beer in rockin' atmosphere
I'll have to check this place out over the weekend.
Teresa Gubbins, staff:
just saw that Rachel posted something last night:
http://lakewood.advocatemag.com/2011/...
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
SitizenKane, anonymous:
this is too bad; many touring bands passed thru LBG....ocassionally better known musicans would show up.....
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
mjewell, anonymous:
An article was posted a month or so ago stating that they were closing along with Mi Cocina's.
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
Michael Schaefer, verified:
This is what happens when people stop going out to see live music. If you value it, support it.
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
Teresa Gubbins, staff:
mjewell, where was the article posted that they were closing? it seems like the owners themselves did not know until yesterday, so i would be curious to see who DID know
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
mezzetin_subaquatic, anonymous:
so, where does the buck stop, eh mike?
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
Rockker, anonymous:
You are going to see more bars close in the near future. Of course it's all those stupid bar owners rolls eyes
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
SitizenKane, anonymous:
Here is the list of closings..
http://lakewood.advocatemag.com/2011/...
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
alexander troup, verified:
Sad, really is that is such a landmark for so many folks, Summer of 2011 has been very stressfull for eveyone, sorry it has folks, but hey.... we wake up and go to the next place and hope, yes hope we will be treated human like and have fun.....and so lets salute another great landmark to a better journey.....A/T.
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
Russ Vandeveerdonk, verified:
The landlord could have,.... and SHOULD have worked with this tenant,...now they will have NO revenue generated for this location/leased spot,...greedy, greedy and an "unamerican" move by the landlords,...in my opinion. We are in a depressed economy,..work with everyone people,...now many are out of work,...bands out of work and no more fun in that Lakewood area spot for now.
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
lisaltx, anonymous:
Russ - how do you know they hadn't been trying to work with them?
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
mark0396, anonymous:
Rumor I heard, from a realtor, is a major property management firm purchased a large portion of the buildings in the area, closing out MiCocinas, and others to make room for a higher group of investors and bring a new face to the area. If none of you have ever been a business owner, then you will never understand what has happened or why. LBG may have been struggling, the same as everyone else, in this economic time, the property owners may have been given an offer to move the property and do other things with their life, and there may have been some stipulations in the LBG lease agreement that provided an excuse for a lockout, maybe, just maybe, it wasnt the first time the rent had been late? Maybe with the sale of the property, the new owners had a zero tolerance policy. Only those directly involved will ever know the truth. Whatever the reason, as a business owner, if I were offered a large sum of money to move on, I would seriously consider it. I will miss the LBG as well, I was scheduled to perform there in Sept, and Oct with 2 bands.
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
SitizenKane, anonymous:
In these times, most Landlords are willing to work with tenants who are struggling...afterall, there aren't many takers to fill the vacancy and cover operating expenses.
But some tenants just don't want to continue funding a losing business !
To blame Landlords (when so little is known about the specifics of the LBG) is nieve.
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
Russ Vandeveerdonk, verified:
I stand corrected to a certain extent,...so is it always and only "all about the money?".
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
Flux3, anonymous:
Russ, you have now realized one of life's most important lessons; it is always "all about the money."
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
zunibear1, anonymous:
Everything that is even remotely connected with the business world is always "all about the money."
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
Poopers, anonymous:
As a Lakewood resident, I'm sad to see these local places close! Rumor has it, Matt's is closing too because Mi Cocina is moving in and taking the local business.
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
pieceofpeacesmokeshop, anonymous:
I was the house audio engineer that was working there at the time of its abrupt and unexpected closure, I miss that place everyday, wasnt the best in the world but it was home to me, so many good memories. if anyone would like to contact me for an interview you may reach me at shea.troxell@gmail.com
Link to this comment | Suggest removal
What do you think?