Hartford, CT – A Hartford institution, Tisane Euro-Asian Cafe, has announced its closure after serving the community for 24 years. Owner Al Gamble confirmed that the beloved restaurant, once a vibrant hub with round-the-clock activity, could not recover from the lasting economic impacts of the pandemic.
“We invested significantly about a year ago in renovations, updated equipment, and addressed building issues, alongside revamping the menu. However, the business unfortunately never rebounded as we had hoped,” Gamble stated.
The news of the closure has resonated deeply with patrons, many of whom visited the cafe upon hearing the announcement to witness the closure firsthand. Brittany Fair, a long-time customer, expressed her shock, “I was just here last week, and to learn it was closing today is just unbelievable. What happened?”
For Maria Bonita and the LGBTQ+ community, Tisane held a particularly special place. The cafe was renowned as a safe and welcoming entertainment venue, hosting numerous drag performances over the years. Bonita highlighted the unfortunate timing, as the closure comes just weeks before the start of Pride Month, a peak season for performances and community gatherings.
“June is typically when the community really comes out; it’s their time. It’s truly disappointing that we can’t celebrate Pride this year at Tisane,” Bonita lamented. She and other performers were scheduled to participate in a drag show on Tuesday, an event that, along with all future events at Tisane, has now been canceled. “We received very late notice yesterday about the cancellation of everything, all shows and future plans. It was very abrupt,” she added.
While many customers expressed feeling blindsided by the sudden closure, Gamble emphasized that the decision was not made lightly and followed extensive internal discussions. “These decisions have been under consideration internally for well over six, perhaps eight months,” Gamble explained. Addressing the patrons, he expressed gratitude, “To our customers, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you. These past 24 years have been truly amazing.”
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