Downtown Lexington fine-dining restaurant closes: ‘This isn’t goodbye’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Lockbox restaurant at 21c Museum Hotel in downtown Lexington closed.
- Lockbox’s last day of service was May 15, and its closure was confirmed May 20.
- The team behind Mileta plans to open a new restaurant concept in the Lockbox space.
A downtown Lexington fine-dining restaurant announced it has closed.
21c Museum Hotel at 167 Main St. announced on social media May 20 that its restaurant, Lockbox, has closed after a decade. The last day of service at Lockbox was May 15.
At the beginning of April, the restaurant said it would close in mid-May. On April 3, the team behind the Italian-ish Mileta restaurant in Fayette Mall said in a statement they will open a new concept in the Lockbox location, in the heart of downtown.
“We’re thrilled to announce that the team behind Mileta is opening a second restaurant, bringing a brand new concept to the space at 167 W Main St. in downtown,” according to the statement. “The Lexington community has been incredibly supportive of Mileta, and the team is excited to partner with this iconic hotel to introduce something new and delicious to this historic and special space.”
Mileta has not given any other details about the new downtown restaurant.
In its social media post, 21c acknowledged a new dining spot coming to the downtown hotel, which opened in February 2016.
“This isn’t goodbye. It’s simply a see you later as we thoughtfully look ahead to what’s next. We’re incredibly grateful for the time we’ve shared and excited for what’s ahead,” the post said.
Lockbox occupied the original bank lobby and featured a sculpture that changed colors with the weather pattern. The restaurant was named for the bank vault, which was a private dining space. Lockbox went through several chefs, but the menu remained focused on upscale Southern-style dishes made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The bar offered a wide variety of premium bourbons, wines and cocktails.
21c Museum Hotel Lexington sold, will it become a Marriott?
In October, Lexington’s 21c Museum Hotel sold to a partnership run by a family-owned business, Thoroughbred Hospitality Group for $14 million, according to the Fayette County Clerk’s office.
The same group also bought the 21c Museum Hotel in Cincinnati for $25 million at the same time, according to published reports.
The Lexington hotel is in the historic First National Bank building that opened in 1914 as the city’s first skyscraper. More than $43 million, including federal, state and local funds and tax credits, were invested in rehabilitating the building.
A widely circulated Reddit post said the Lexington hotel would become a Marriott-operated property, but that has not been publically confirmed.
