HOUSTON — After more than 30 years in business, a popular bar in the Montrose area is closing its doors for good.
Cecil’s Pub has been a neighborhood favorite for decades. Longtime customers came out in droves Sunday night for the bar’s final night in business. Owner Jonas Herd said the outpouring of support has been overwhelming.
“That feels great, and it gives me, it helps me push through this,” Herd said. “A lot of them have shown up the last two weeks, being like, ‘Oh my goodness.’ But it’s been great. What I’ve wanted more than anything is for the bartenders to get the appreciation and gratitude that they rightly deserve.”
Herd told KHOU 11 News that Cecil’s Pub is closing because the building on West Gray Street was sold.
“The purchaser of the property, who I do not know, decided that he did not want to get into any kind of short-term or even long-term lease with us,” Herd said.
The closure of Cecil’s Pub is heartbreaking for customers -- many of whom said it is one of the last truly authentic bars in the ever-changing Montrose area.
“If you’ve ever spent any time in Montrose, this is kind of the death of it. There are maybe one or two other bars that really matter anymore, that really mean Montrose anymore,” longtime customer Spencer Gamache said. “This is uniquely Houston, it’s uniquely Montrose. And it’s going away, and that’s sad. It feels like the end of an era.”
Chesare Johnson said he was a customer at Cecil’s Pub for around 20 years. Whether for birthday celebrations or needing a community during tough times, Cecil’s Pub was always his go-to spot.
“It’s just one of those places that holds on to the culture of what this area used to be, and like what made it into what it is, and so, if you ever come here, it’s very hard to walk out of here not making a new friend, so there’s a lot of love at Cecil’s Pub,” Johnson said.
Many customers also consider the bartenders more like family. Customer Olivia Blair first came to Cecil’s Pub in 1996, and said no matter how much time passed between her visits, the bar felt like home.
“I haven’t been here in probably six or eight months, and I walked up, and I hugged maybe 12 people,” Blair said. “I feel like I’m losing a friend right now.”
Customers said they hope the bar ownership can find a new location, adding that they will be there to support the business in any way they can. Herd is wishing for that, too.
“I’ve got a realtor who’s fantastic, and I’m trying to find a new home,” Herd said. “I’m hoping to keep the bar going, because bars like this, pubs like this, too many of them are going by the wayside, and we need them.”