Don’t call it La Negrita anymore.
Popular campus bar La Negrita has received a swanky makeover and re-christening as part of the new manager’s hope to refresh the venue’s image after a year of financial woes.
The manager, Eric Johnson, has turned management over to restaurateur Marc Solomon, who has made a name for himself in recent years for revitalizing tired venues.
“I feel like it’s going to be more like a SoHo downtown lounge with more of a hipster vibe,” Johnson said, adding that he hopes the new look will make La Negrita, or 999 as it has been renamed, more business. Johnson was brought in last April after the owners realized that the recession had damaged their ability to turn a profit.
In April, Johnson had told the old owners and loyal regulars he would do his best to keep La Negrita the same, save for a new toilet and some art for the walls. “You know there were a lot of people who really liked it this way, but I wish La Negrita the best of luck with its new direction,” he said.
“There were people who were really loyal to La Negrita the way it was,” he added. “I didn’t want to change its image, but now that its going in a new direction I wish them the best of luck.”
Solomon confirmed that he is trying to move away from the old image. “The legacy of what? Why would I preserve something that was dying?” he said. He said he agreed to become the new manager because he liked the owners, and wanted to try to realize what he saw as La Negrita’s full potential.
“This place has some loyal customers so I’m keeping the same prices, but still trying to make it higher end.” He said that so far, business has been great, and the neighborhood has responded positively to the changes. “We don’t have a lounge in the neighborhood like downtown,” he said of the rationale behind the makeover.
He also added that he is bringing in “British grub” like Shepards pie, adding outdoor seating and installing a fireplace in the back. He said he believes that these moves towards a more lounge-like environment will bring in more regulars.
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