WASHINGTON – A popular bar in Adams Morgan has closed its doors for good.
The Reef announced on its Facebook page that it “as a result of the recent events we can no longer operate.”
Metropolitan police initially closed The Reef on 18th Street, NW, after a man was stabbed at the bar early Aug.
The Washington Post reported earlier that the bar’s liquor license was also suspended.
Despite appealing the decision, the owner announced the closure Wednesday afternoon.
“As many of you know, the last few weeks have been very challenging for the Reef,” The Reef’s owner writes on their Facebook page.
Police say the investigation revealed the man’s injuries were related to a verbal and physical altercation inside The Reef.
Police say an arrest was made, and a person was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, a knife.
Police spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump says Chief Cathy Lanier used her emergency authority and closed the establishment for 96 hours pending a ruling from Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration
Regulators say the bar posed an imminent danger to the health and safety of the public.
Below is the full statement from The Reef:
To Our Community,
As many of you know, the last few weeks have been very challenging for the Reef. After much effort, and cooperation between the ownership, our amazing staff and community, and the ABRA, we were able to regain our license and reopened our doors. However, as a result of the recent events we can no longer operate.
It has been our honor to be a part of the Adams Morgan Community for almost 12 years. We know many of you consider The Reef home and we consider you all family.
While we can no longer call 2446 18th St. home, we know that the friendships that have been created between the hundreds of employees and thousands of customers we have had the privilege to serve will endure for a lifetime.
Please welcome whoever is fortunate enough to recreate this space as you welcomed us all those years ago.
And please like The Reef on Facebook if you would “like” to be a part of an ongoing community. Who knows what will be next for us, but as always, everybody will be invited!
To everyone we say, “Cheers Bro”, and Thank You.
The Reef
WTOP’s Thomas Warren contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter.
