Last call: D.C.’s Black Rooster set to shut its doors

It’s a quiet Columbus Day afternoon at the Black Rooster, and representatives of a number of craft brewers have gathered at this popular neighborhood joint with a simple mission in mind: to bring to light the impending closing of the bar and restaurant.

The Black Rooster recently lost its lease, and unless there is some unforeseen, dramatic development, the Rooster’s last day of operation is Friday.

“I gotta hope for the best and unfortunately prepare for the worst,” said Jody Taylor, the owner of the Black Rooster who has worked at the 39-year-old establishment for 37 years.

Taylor became the outright owner of the Black Rooster on Jan. 1 of this year after buying the restaurant from the original owners for $1 as a thank-you for his years of service.

The restaurant had been on a month-to-month lease since 2008. The owners of the building recently announced they had reached an agreement to lease the spot to the Peace Corps, which sits above the Rooster on L Street Northwest.

Taylor said he held no ill will against the Peace Corps, and he understood the decision was made between the federal government and the space’s owners.

“Any time I talk to people, I say the Peace Corps shouldn’t get this bad rap,” Taylor said. “They do a lot of good things. They’re good people, and they’ve been very gracious.”

Taylor has searched the neighborhood for an alternative location, but nothing has been the right fit. He’s also heard from around the world from former patrons who have contacted him after hearing the news the bar is going to close.

“At one point in their life, this was important to them,” Taylor said. “It still brings back positive memories. If we’ve been able to do that, we’ve done our job.”

On this recent visit, Jeff Phifer was one of the regulars lamenting the bar’s impending closing.

“You can get a beer and sandwich [anywhere],” said Phifer, of Alexandria, who works in the neighborhood. “Here, they’re my friends.”

“You can never have another Rooster,” agreed co-worker Chris Bridges, of Leesburg. “It’s one of a kind.”

The uniqueness and independent attitude of the Black Rooster is what inspired craft brewers such as Magic Hat, Otter Creek and Flying Dog to organize an extended happy hour on Columbus Day to bring attention to the bar’s plight.

“They’re proud to be an independent establishment,” said Renee Rubin, an “Alebassador” for Magic Hat.

Though patrons and others in the community support the Black Rooster, it appears an era on L Street is coming to an end.

“It isn’t about the money,” Taylor said. “It’s about the relationships we’ve formed with people over the years. I think you take away places like this, you lose the personality of the landscape. You end up with a block of cement building and glass store fronts, but no personality.”