Culture Shock reports that Empire has changed hands and is going to be split into 2 different venues.
The word on the street is that the downstairs area will be reopened in early summer as a Chinese restaurant – which the Empire building originally was, back in the day – and the upstairs is tentatively planned to reopen this summer as well, still as a music venue.
The Press Herald published an article late Friday with additional information,
The five-year-old restaurant and music venue has been sold by Umbel and will be run by Theresa Chan, a Maine restaurateur, and Todd Bernard, a veteran of Portland’s arts scene. Bernard is a former owner of the Space Gallery music and arts venue, at 538 Congress St.
Umbel said the new operators will close Empire Dine and Dance temporarily so that the downstairs, which now is a bar and restaurant with space for small music groups, can be renovated into a Chinese restaurant.
Wow, that’s big news.
Anyone know who’s going in on the first floor? I knows it’s not the Oriental Table as he has not found a place yet.
And my source said that Bill hadn’t actually sold the building, just leased it with his intentions being to keep Empire operating upstairs.
The exact words on the Empire site are: “Empire has been purchased and will take a few months to renovate and renew.”
The Chinese laundry, I hope.
According to the Press Herald article (see link I added above) it’s “Theresa Chan, a Maine restaurateur, and Todd Bernard” that will be running the restaurant.
Theresa Chan is one of the principals at Little Tokyo which is in Brunswick.
http://littletokyomaine.com/