Andy Loses Andy’s

Andy’s may be going the way of the Uptown Club, Newt’s, the Village Tavern and Miss Virginia Coleman’s Coffee Shop.

Which is to say, another popular landmark that long helped define Chestertown is closing. Maybe. Or possibly not.

All that’s certain is that Andy Goddard herself will no longer be running the show. She lost her lease. And, she says, “for a monetary sum,” her first name.

Dave Wright, the owner of the property as well as proprietor of Brix, right next door, will say only, “I am not discussing it at this point.”

Asked when he might say something, Wright responded, minimally, “Maybe next week.”

What happened, says Goddard sans Andy, is, “We needed major repairs for quite a while. When it rains outside it rains inside. I sent a letter saying we needed repairs prior to renewing the lease for the current amount of money. Basically, a letter came back saying, ‘We’re sorry you don’t want to renew your lease.’”

Goddard added, “I’m not sure what the specifics are for the place. He’s retaining Andy’s name – for a monetary sum. He’s probably going to keep some of my employees. I’m assuming it’s going to be a bar and restaurant. He says he may continue the music. But I’m not sure.”

Andy’s has been Andy’s for the past 21 years. And even if the business continues under that name, at that place, there cannot be another like it here that is operated by her under any name.

“I signed a non-compete clause,” she says. “So I can’t open an Andy’s next door. Or a Randy’s.”

So what’s she going to do?

“I’ve been telling everybody I’m going to sleep for a month. It will take me a while to adjust to living a normal life. I might actually have a social life for a change – after my body adjusts to not having to go to bed at 2 o’clock. I would love to stay in the music end of things, if possible. I’ve been one club owner who honestly loves the music. That was one reason for opening Andy’s — to have a place to showcase live music.”

Her last day of business, at Andy’s, will be Saturday, July 18.  As her website says, “We are going to have one big party the last week, with end of the world specials, culminating in a Saturday Night Blast Off. Come join the fun!”