Adieu to the Anchor (UPDATED)Thornton Wilder drank there, and so, quite possibly, did you. Esquire magazine thought it one of the 25 best bars in America. The Anchor Bar has been a fixture in New Haven since the 1940s, watching the decline and revival of the College Street area as its own moderne decor moved from hip to dated to hip again. But the Anchor abruptly closed last night, leaving fans disheartened—and wondering who to blame. Word got out Sunday afternoon on social media that the bar would close that evening, and patrons rushed over for a final drink. By 9 pm, the doors were locked, and mourners had to find another watering hole. At this hour, there are still conflicting stories about whether the Anchor’s owners packed it in themselves or were forced out. Like most of the businesses around it, the Anchor had Yale’s University Properties arm as a landlord, and one of the bar’s managers told the New Haven Independent that the university had declined to renew the Anchor’s lease (and that the bar had been behind in its rent). But Yale spokesman Jim Shelton said in a statement that the bar’s owners “have decided not to continue the business.” What are your memories of the Anchor? UPDATE, 4:20 pm: Yale spokeswoman Karen Peart followed up with a statement that Yale did in fact require the Anchor to vacate the space, after its operator failed to meet its rent and failed to abide by a court judgment. (See the full statement below.) On a conference call including officials from University Properties and the bar’s owner Charlie Moore, John Pollard of University Properties said that “Yale made repeated efforts to allow the Anchor Restaurant to continue.” Moore said that he “never had a complaint” about Yale as a landlord. “We hate to see it end, but our family has decided to take a different course. I have nothing but fond memories.” Lauren Zucker of University Properties said it was too soon to say what might take the Anchor’s place. Asked if they would look for someone who could carry on in the Anchor’s spirit, she said “You could never recreate the Anchor.” Statement from Yale’s Karen Peart:
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Well, the Yale folks can always use another place to get froyo for the fam on parent's weekend and that's primo real estate.
had a birthday lunch there when comedian Alan King stopped by my table to wish me a happy birthday.
Silly me, I though that the people who drank there in the mid 80s had actually read the books they talked about. Great motivator, though.