Lexington restaurants, bars plan New Year’s Eve ‘do over’ after interrupted celebrations
With a fully booked restaurant on New Year’s Eve, Dudley’s on Short owner Debbie Long had just texted someone to say that things were going to be OK, they’d make rent and be on good footing for the new year.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” Long said. Because 2020 had one last balloon to pop in the face of Lexington bars and restaurants.
Shortly after 8 p.m., Lexington police officers came in and announced that everyone would have to evacuate the building. There was a suspicious RV in a parking lot at Short Street and Market, in the next block, and a week after the Christmas Day bombing in downtown Nashville, nobody was taking any chances.
All her customers and staff had to go. Now.
“We left food on the table. Candles burning. Coats hanging,” she said. They helped one couple, in their 80s, call someone to come get them because they couldn’t move their car.
People poured out of bars and restaurants, hotels and apartments as police blocked off streets from Vine to Third, Broadway to MLK for about two hours on Thursday night.
At ELIXIR Downtown next door, which was just across the street from the parking lot with the RV, owner Stephen Scaldaferri also was excited about the evening. Seating for a special meal was sold out and people were enjoying themselves.
“This would have truly been the first night since COVID that we would not have lost money,” he said.
Between pandemic shutdowns and capacity limits to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, restaurants and bars struggled to stay in business throughout 2020. But New Year’s Eve, with a vaccine finally at hand, looked a like a bright spot.
People had dressed up and were festive, even with masks on, he said.
Then the mood just deflated.
Scaldaferri said he appreciates the efforts of the police to protect everyone. “They were over-the-top diligent,” he said. “One night will not make or break ELIXIR or others, from my perspective, and with the tragedies in Nashville, we packed up everyting, turned off everything and walked away. There’s a larger perspective here than the finances.”
Just before midnight, they were allowed back in. And started cleaning up.
Scaldaferri said he will reopen for brunch and plans a “New Year’s Eve do-over” Friday night to celebrate making it into 2021. And by 10 a.m. on New Year’s Day he’d already had about 30 tables commit to coming back.
“I plan to compensate my staff for the evening. I haven’t told them that yet,” he said. “And we are clearing all tabs and bills for last night. No one will pay anything, even if they were mid meal.”
Long said she plans to offer her planned special dinner on Saturday. “We’ve still got all the food,” she said. Same three-course gourmet meal, at a slightly reduced rate, $65.
She said one customer already called and left a message wanting to pay for the dinner that was cut short.
“So sweet,” Long said. “In times like this, you really see the best in people.”
Other Lexington restaurants, including Distilled on Jefferson, also were planning to offer repeats on Friday and Saturday of special dinners that got cut short, and bars were leaving holiday decorations up so the party could go on through the weekend. Bluegrass Tavern on Cheapside planned offer beer and champagne specials on Saturday night.
This story was originally published January 1, 2021 at 12:19 PM.
