Much loved bar closes for good and owner blames rising crime – it’s the second spot to go under in a week

OWNER of Bar Deco, Noe Landini has decided to permanently shut the doors of the location along 6th Street Northwest after sitting down with his team and listed out the cons that outweighed the pros.

A statement was posted to Bar Deco’s Instagram on Sunday.

1

“It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to close our doors permanently today, 11/19,” the post read.

“Being a part of this vibrant & thriving community since 2015 has truly been an honor,

“We cannot thank our dedicated staff & loyal patrons enough for the last 8 years of incredible memories,” the post continued.

The closure of this Chinatown spot comes just days after neighboring Flight Wine Bar also announced its closure at the end of the year after a decade of business.

Landini told local CBS affiliate WUSA9 that he was at the point where he had to renew his lease for another five years and said he could not withstand waiting for things to improve along the corridor.

Landini, who also owns Landini Brothers Restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia, said the increased crime has contributed to the decrease in foot traffic in the Chinatown corridor.

In his opinion, this has been a contributing factor to why business cannot recover post-pandemic.

The restaurant owner has been a vocal critic of how the District implemented COVID-19 restrictions on business.

“Ever since after COVID, business went down,” said DMV native and Chinatown frequenter, Chris Zhong, during an interview with WUSA9.

“Definitely, a lot of stores seem closing,

“Even coming back now it definitely seems a lot more empty,” he continued.

However, despite the changes, Zhong said he does not feel unsafe, everyone is friendly, and he considers Chinatown a welcoming place.

A D.C. crime dashboard, provided by WUSA9, showed that in a 2,000-foot radius around Bar Deco, there have been nearly 800 crime incidents so far this year, 60 more than the same time last year.

There was an increase in sex abuse and theft, according to the data.

Due to the rise of crime in the area, some establishments have hired personal security.

A few loyal customers responded to the Instagram post.

“You’re the second business that I love making this type of announcement in less than 3 days. This is heartbreaking,” one commenter said.

“Favorite downtown spot. Always went before/after a caps game. That rooftop will be missed,” responded another.

Also Visit: World News | Trending News | Entertainment News

The Sun