Last night, faithful Babe's Billiards patrons gathered to play pool, eat food and drink beer for the last time. Some people came from as far as Houston to mark the closing of the Tenleytown pool hall and bar, while others walked from campus.
The AU weekend-night staple closed because its owner lost the bar's lease. A 42-unit, five-story condominium complex will replace it.
"There really isn't anything to replace this, nothing anywhere close," said owner Ted Devall.
Devall has been trying to relocate Babe's, which opened March 4, 1993, but so far has been unsuccessful.
"We want to stay in Tenleytown," he said.
Devall looked into moving Babe's to the Round Table's old location on Wisconsin across from Safeway. He soon abandoned the idea after he found out he would not be able to get a liquor license.
Until Babe's finds a new location, many of its customers will find themselves without a weekend hangout.
Erica Bogese, a student assistant at AU's library, went to Babe's at least once or twice a week with other library staff members. For her, Babe's closing leaves her without a "local haunt."
"It's a shame because there really isn't much in the way of bars in this area," Bogese said.
Local resident Dave Linehan will also miss Babe's presence.
"It's unbelievable. You won't know it's gone 'til you're looking for something to do on a Saturday," Linehan said.
Linehan started going to Babe's more than 10 years ago while he was attending Wilson High School. Babe's was so fun because of all of the interesting characters who usually hung out there, Linehan said.
For high school students Tim Chorba and Travis Scott, Babe's provided a place to watch football games.
"It's also a nice place to relax," Scott said.
Now that Babe's is closed, Scott said he and his friends will probably just hang out at their houses, but will still be able to play pool since Chorba has a pool table in his house.
Some students say that they'll turn to the Malt Shop to provide cheap beer in close proximity to campus.
"I'd always go to Babe's if I wanted a no-strings-attached hookup with a 30-year-old drunk, sport fan," said Agatha Tomasik, a senior in CAS, "but now, I'll have to settle for the Malt Shop's patronage."
Other people in the area said they will also try out the Malt Shop, located across Wisconsin from the now vacant pool hall.
"If you like a dive bar, I guess it's a cool place," said Kristy Seeger, an employee at the Friendship Heights animal hospital located close to Babe's.
Although the Malt Shop offers an alternative to Babe's, the pool hall's legend will live on.
"I have about 2,000 broken-hearted customers," Devall said. "Everywhere I go, I have met people who've been here."
An auction will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. to sell all of Babe's merchandise.
