Bracket Room, the Clarendon sports bar co-founded by Chris Bukowski of ‘The Bachelor’ franchise fame, has closed — for real this time.
The bar served its last customers on Sunday, we’re told. On Monday, employees could be seen hauling items out of the venue at 1210 N. Garfield Street and loading them into a pickup truck.
Much of the restaurant’s equipment was recently placed on a local auction website.
The bar announced the news on Instagram yesterday, saying that it was unable to renegotiate its current 10-year lease.
With great sadness, Bracket Room in VA is having to close its doors for good. We had a 10 year lease with the building and when renegotiating the terms, we weren’t able to come to a common ground.
We want to thank everyone who has supported us throughout the years, the people who have had many memories at Bracket Room and we will forever be grateful for you all. This parting ways is just as hard on us and it is on you.
We will think about you ALWAYS and hope to see you around the way ❤️ you all were the best. Thank you.
Forever grateful,
Bracket Room Owner & Staff
Bracket Room opened in 2013, seeking to provide a higher-end, “female-friendly” experience with higher-quality food and drink. Over the years it attracted it attracted sizeable gameday and Bachelor-watching crowds, and also the ire of some neighbors who thought it made too much noise.
The bar eventually spawned sister locations at Reagan National Airport and in Bukowski’s hometown of Chicago, the latter of which has since closed.
Last March, as the pandemic got underway, Bracket Room announced it would close in Arlington for good. With little further explanation, it reopened for takeout shortly thereafter and then reopened for dine-in customers as well.
By ARLnow’s count, Bracket Room is the 26th restaurant in Arlington to close since the start of the pandemic.