When owners of Cafe do Brasil and Brown’s Bakery announced their retirements and subsequent closings earlier this year, Midtown residents saw two longstanding, and always busy, fixtures shutter. Now, another restaurant known for regularly having a crowd has quietly closed its doors with little explanation.
The Midtown location of Louie’s Grill and Bar, 1215 N Walker Ave., closed in July without much notice to customers, area residents or even the Midtown Redevelopment Corp. (Midtown OKC).
“Our organization found out kind of through the grapevine honestly,” said Jakey Dobbs, Midtown district manager for the downtown Oklahoma City partnership. “It was kind of a random one as well that we didn’t really see coming.”
The Oklahoman reached out to the Hal Smith Restaurant Group, operators of Louie’s, via their website about the closure on July 31 and did not receive a response. We also contacted the Louie’s Instagram page and did not receive a response to that inquiry.
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A sign was placed on the window of the storefront reading, “Thank you for 12 amazing years! We are sorry to announce the closing of our Louie’s Grill & Bar Midtown location. Our last day of service will be Sunday, July 23rd.”
While the sign did not give a reason for the closure, it went on to say, “Don’t be too sad, there are still 14 Louie’s locations across Oklahoma for you to enjoy!” and directed patrons to the restaurant’s website.
What will happen to the Louie’s Grill and Bar building?
Dobbs said she has been told another restaurant will eventually take over the space, though she does not have details on who will operate it or what kind of concept it will be.
Restaurants are still adjusting to a “new normal” post-pandemic, but that is not exclusive to Oklahoma City or the Midtown area, its nationwide, Dobbs said. Overall, Oklahoma City residents can be rest assured that despite the latest closing, the Midtown District is carrying on, she said.
“Louie’s seemed like it was always busy and had great business as well, so, again, I’m not sure why they ended up closing. I don’t think it was anything to do with lack of business or struggling in that regard for Midtown,” she said. “If anything, I think Midtown’s been pretty strong with retaining restaurants and opening new restaurants and things like that.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Louie’s Grill and Bar third Midtown OKC restaurant to close in 2023
