Vagabond, a Richmond nightlife staple, is closing
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A snapshot of Redlight Reggae at Vagabond last year. Photo: Sabrina Moreno/Axios
Rest in peace to Vagabond.
Why it matters: The downtown event space that turned into a major nightlife spot for Black Richmonders is closing its doors on June 30 after nearly a decade in business.
State of play: Vagabond didn't offer a reason for the closure in its Tuesday announcement, and co-owners Lester Johnson — who also runs Mama J's — and RVA Fashion Week's Jimmy Budd didn't immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
- But the spot on the corner of East Broad and North 7th streets has seen its fair share of turnover since opening in 2008 as Gibson's Grill, an extension of The National next door.
- The grill switched hands a few times before becoming Coda, an American fare restaurant that built out the speakeasy downstairs that's now known as "the Rabbit Hole," in 2014.
- A local chef turned it into Vagabond the following year before Johnson — and the people from Lady N'awlins and F.W. Sullivan's — took over in 2017 and made it primarily a private event space.
Zoom in: Over the past nine years, the downstairs "Rabbit Hole" transformed into a club-like lounge defined by its red lighting and red curtains.
- It became the home of local DJ Markus Gold's popular Redlight Reggae series, which held its last Vagabond event earlier this month, and "All the Feels" R&B sets.
- Vagabond also hosted members of Butcher Brown, Rodney Stith and even House Speaker Don Scott for his birthday this year, which Gov. Spanberger attended.
What they're saying: "It's honestly been the only consistent spot that we've had for that decade that it's been open," Gold tells Axios.
- "To lose a space like that, it's like a stab in the heart," he says. "It's a big heartbreak."
What we're watching: For Vagabond's final event, where Redlight Reggae is headed and who takes over the space next.
Karri Peifer contributed to this report