"Show must go on": Churchill's Pub looks for new owner

Famed rock venue Churchill's Pub hit the market this week while its current owner finalizes a lease with a new operator for the Little Haiti bar.

Why it matters: Churchill's — which first opened in 1979 and has hosted acts such as Marilyn Manson and Iggy Pop — is a Miami institution, known for cheap beer, hard-rock shows and indie appeal.

• Some on social media have expressed concerns that Churchill's may not be the same under new management.

What's happening: After being closed for two years, the venue and its adjacent parking were listed for sale for $4.65 million on Tuesday, according to the online listing from Porosoff Group.

• Meanwhile, owner Mallory Kauderer is finalizing a lease agreement with the new tenant, which could see the bar reopen prior to a sale, listing agent Arthur Porosoff told Axios.
• "The show must go on," Porosoff said of the club.

Catch up fast: Amid its prolonged closing due to COVID, a bitter feud between Kauderer and the bar's former manager, Franklin Dale, took center stage last year, the Miami Herald reported.

• It culminated in Dale's eviction in July 2021 after his company allegedly failed to pay more than $200,000 in owed rent, the Real Deal reported.

• Dale has accused Kauderer of misappropriating COVID relief money owed to Churchill's, which Kauderer has denied, the Herald reported.
• Churchill's has been closed since.

What they're saying: Porosoff said the goal of the sale is to "preserve the character" of Churchill's and find a buyer who's going to carry on its legacy as a live-music venue.

• "No one's turning it into LIV or anything fancy, it's gonna be a grungy little fish-and-chips English bar where people can be themselves and have a good time," Porosoff said.