NORFOLK, Va. — A shuttered downtown Norfolk nightclub is back open, but this time, the owners are doing things a little differently: Legacy Lounge is now an alcohol-free restaurant.
The change comes after Norfolk City Council revoked the nightclub's conditional use permit back in September, which meant Legacy could no longer sell alcohol or operate as a nightclub. The move effectively shut the business down.
Marcus Calabrese, a spokesperson for the business said the owners went back to the drawing board and decided to re-launch but they’re still working on securing another permit.
“It’s definitely a celebration and a reopening," Calabrese said. "The hours have changed and even some of the menu options have changed. There’s a lot of newness going on. But a lot of the same friendly faces, same ownership.”
Norfolk City Council revoked Legacy's permit after a shooting outside the nightclub in August left four people hurt, including a Norfolk sheriff’s deputy. Investigators believed the suspected shooter was kicked out of the nightclub.
Legacy’s owners fought the revocation in court before eventually dropping the legal battle.
“There are some limitations that the city recommended and required, so Legacy went back to the drawing board,” Calabrese said. “They’re trying to address those changes and definitely they want to keep the restaurant vibe, and a little bit of that nightlife appeal. It’s shorter on the nightlife end but it’s still going to be some excellent culinary options. A lot of the same friendly faces. A lot of the original staff is coming back.”
According to a sign posted on the front window of the restaurant, there is another hearing over Legacy’s conditional use permit on March 23.
Calabrese said although the business is operating as a restaurant, they’re still trying to get their permit back.
“That is the lifeline for a lot of businesses and to not have that makes things tremendously more difficult," he said.
Calabrese said the owners are optimistic about the future. He said it’s important local businesses stay in downtown Norfolk because that’s what keeps this area vibrant.
“I will say this, out of all the clients that I have. These owners – Warren and Alex – love their business and they love their staff. It was personal for them. It wasn’t just a profitable business, it was a personal business, and they went in it together," Calabrese said.
He added: “Larger retailers are great, but when larger retailers leave, local cities are left holding the bag. When you have local businesses, your local businesses hire local people and they give back locally. It’s the best thing in the world.”