Employee: Friends to close
Friends, the Fells Point neighborhood dive at 1634 Aliceanna St., will most likely close in the coming weeks, according to a longtime employee.
Ben Naas, who has worked at Friends for about 10 years, said he expects Asian restaurant Sticky Rice to take over the building in the near future.
"It's still at the handshake stage, but I think both parties are pursuing it," Naas said.
From the black-and-white tiled floor to the small plaque affixed to the middle of the bar, bearing a quote from Charles Bukowski, Friends was a one-of-a-kind joint. When it closes, it will be sorely missed indeed.
"We still came from an older school of Fells Point bars -- an older mold," Naas said.
(Baltimore Sun archive photo)
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Rest assured there will be quite the send off for our beloved.
Posted by: Meekrat | January 19, 2010 11:11 AM
this is truly sad news. whenever we went there we always had a good time, and the jukebox was one of the greats in the city.
Posted by: ryan97ou | January 19, 2010 1:36 PM
Any place that had Buzzcocks on the jukebox was aok. I haven't been there in years. My ex-GF got that bar in the breakup.
Posted by: Owl Meat GripOfDeath | January 19, 2010 1:50 PM
That's funny Owl Meat, that would be a good topic. I am sure we have all lost a bar or two in breakups!
Posted by: jason | January 19, 2010 2:29 PM
Jason, I probably shouldn't have said that. It is/was going to be a future topic.
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | January 19, 2010 3:04 PM
I lost a good local band to ex-bf & ex-friends. Just realized it today, and was way disappointed.
Posted by: kateebee | January 19, 2010 3:21 PM
I was on Facebook and I noticed an ad for Sticky Rice. Seems like they are already advertising to people listed as Baltimore on FB. That suggests some certainty, I believe. Getting the brand name out there.
Posted by: Owl Meat Gin | January 19, 2010 4:18 PM
First the Poe toaster is a no show, now tipsy tuesday has OWL AWOL. Wait... are these two persons indeed one and the same?
Posted by: seamstress for the bland | January 20, 2010 11:50 AM
Ahoy, ahoy ...
Tipsy Tuesday is on vacation this week. The staff at OMG headquarters has checked into a rapid detox clinic in Switzerland for a week to have their blood filtered and their livers liposuctioned. Umberto and the gang will return next week.
– Rigoberto Knaws, Intern
Posted by: Owl Meat GenevaClinic | January 20, 2010 12:22 PM
Sticky Rice seems like another Ra, with more sushi options but also more gimmick.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 21, 2010 7:55 AM
As a former baltimororn and current resident of DC -- I can assure you that Sticky Rice is no Ra. It is NOT a corporate chain. The owners are young (30s) and very cool, from the DC area. Their H St location (along with the other bar they own - Rock n Roll Hotel -- as been insturmental in bring life to the H St NE corridor which is now viewed as one of DC's coolest nightlife options.
The sushi at Sticky Rice is great -- and the vibe is very "idie".
This is actually a very good fit.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 21, 2010 1:15 PM
"idie" = the new "indie"
*chuckle *
that's actually pretty good news. i've been to R&R to see some shows and it's not bad (despite the space being pretty narrow), and i can't see any chain touching H st. with a ten foot pole...that is for now...till it turns into the next U st. ;)
consider me hopeful...yet still sad to see friends go
Posted by: ryan97ou | January 21, 2010 3:52 PM
Expect
Ironic
T-Shirts
Posted by: VoodooPork ■|:o) | January 21, 2010 5:38 PM