Only weeks after telling CHS that Rosebud is “not going anywhere” following a dust up between landlord and the restaurant’s new ownership, one of the longest running food and drink establishments on the Hill is leaving its longtime home and making plans for a new location:
Rosebud Seattle bids Farewell and hopes you can stop in to see us
Sadly, Rosebud will be closing its doors this Sunday, September 25th after our brunch at 3pm. In the meantime, we have lots of fun and laughs planned and hope you can tell your friends to stop on by over the next six days to bid a fond farewell and let us entertain you here at this location. Although we plan a new venue in the next few months, it won’t have quite the same charm everyone has known here in this location for many, many years.As we part, please come in for the memories, love and care we’ve all shared here in this special spot.
In August, CHS reported on a disagreement brewing between the building’s owners and Rosebud’s Todd Nordahl over owed rent and issues with how the restaurant was being run. Nordahl said the order to vacate over more than $11,000 in unpaid rent was the result of a dispute between the new restaurant owner and the people who have owned 719 E Pike since 2005, Best Block, LLC’s Mark Chambers and Oda Egeland.
Nordahl told CHS the problems stemmed from his efforts to reinvigorate Rosebud and add special events and nightly entertainment to the mix. “It has been a shock — because there were actually people in the bar,” Nordahl said.
The Facebook announcement on the closure goes on to say that Nordahl and his team are planning to re-open only a few block away “in the next few months” —
In the next few months, we plan to relocate to a new venue just a few blocks from this location but it will be a different space and atmosphere and unfortunately won’t have the charm and history that has made so many smile here for many, many years.
The Rosebud has been operating at its E Pike location for more than 18 years.
The Rosebud is the second long-time Pike/Pine restaurant to say it is on the hunt for a new location after landlord trouble in recent weeks. Ballet and its neighbor The Square Room both are getting the boot on E Pike — Ballet has said it hopes to move to another nearby location.
I liked the place, even though I did not eat there every night. Pleasant to hang out, eat a bite and have drinks with friends.
A loss.
Best of luck.
Love the ‘bud.
That place has been on the hill longer than I have. I will miss it.
I hate to say it…but business is business. Who is this Todd guy anyway? If memory serves, he’s had the place for less than a year. Certainly not the owners that made the Rosebud an institution. A new comer that dragged the place down, is more like it. Are we supposed to care about someone’s whining when they don’t pay rent? And let’s be real…everytime I walk by there’s no one in there.
That sucks! It was a great low key place to hang out. Spent many nights in the patio area out back. Haven’t been there for a while, but will have to stop in for a drink before it closes.
I’m not sure why Todd hasn’t changed Rosebud’s name. It’s like if someone bought Elliot Bay Books, turned it into a store that only sells porn and energy drinks, but continued to call it Elliot Bay Books.
That makes no sense. If somebody bought Mcdonalds they should just change the name of what they bought.
I would totally go to that store. A lot.
You’re missing the key point of the analogy. Mcdonalds shouldn’t change names just because of new ownership. If someone were to buy mcdonalds, drive away their regular patrons, drive away the best (Robert) bartender in Seattle, turn that mcdonalds into just another theme-night club, AND change locations, then that is the point where I would suggest changing mcdonalds name.
The key point you seem to be missing is that he paid for the name. Everything you have stated is irrelevant.
Joyce’s point makes sense. She is not contesting whether the new owner has the legal right to the “Rosebud” name. That is all.
There is more to the Rosebud Saga than Nordahl wants you to know! This guy enters into a purchase agreement. He decides he doesn’t want to pay the agreement. He decides he doesn’t want to pay the rent. His suppliers cut him off! He writes bad checks left and right to the former owner who has been dismayed by the decline of the operations of the restaurant and the loss of good employees. The former owner offers to take back the restaurant and void the balance of the contract to make it easy for Nordahl to leave but he doesn’t respond! Tell me that isn’t NUTS!
Now the judge has ruled that he get out this Sunday. Look out if he’s going somewhere else! BAD NEWS!
From what I understand rosebud wasn’t doing so great when he bought the place. Last time I check no one buys a sinking business with the intention of carrying on the status quo. As usual everyone is quick to jump all over someone that has the guts to try something new! Heaven forbid it might have actually worked you would be singing a very different tune! He seems pretty straight forward about what happened in the statement on his website.
Gone are the days of doing coke of guys’ dicks in that creepy basement. Thank you Todd!