Cellars Speakeasy in Pittsburgh’s Strip District announced its closure on Monday after three and a half years in business.
“After an unforgettable chapter, Cellars Speakeasy has officially concluded regular restaurant service,” the restaurant wrote on its social media pages and in a note posted on its website. “More than anything, we want to thank the guests who walked through our doors and supported us over the years. Whether you joined us for a special celebration, a quiet dinner, cocktails with friends, or simply a night out in the Strip District, you helped make Cellars what it was.”
The Prohibition-era themed bar and restaurant, known for its craft cocktails, was part of Cadence at the Strip (also known as Cadence Cellars), a multi-concept venue located at 2400 Smallman St.
On Tuesday, Cadence founder and CEO Craig Cozza told TribLive the building remains open along with its two other businesses, Cadence’s CityLine Event Center and a Pro Bike Run shop.
Common Plea Catering, the in-house food vendor that operated Cellars Speakeasy on behalf of Cadence , will continue to handle the building’s events and catering. A Common Plea representative could not be immediately reached on Tuesday.
Cozza speculated that seasonal fluctuations at the underground bar may have contributed to its closure, with customers preferring outdoor space in spring and summer. Common Plea, along with Cadence , is contemplating a “reboot” for the Cellars space.
“People love the Cellars event space,” Cozza said. “(Common Plea) is refiguring what the reboot looks like, and then we’ll figure out what restaurant operations are going to look like. We’re just working through all that now, and there are really no answers yet.”
Cozza, who began the Cadence portfolio of businesses with Pro Bike Run shop, expanded to the 19th-century industrial building at 24th and Smallman Street in 2019, converting its top floor into an event space. Cadence Cellars Speakeasy opened in the building’s basement in the fall of 2022. Cadence also operates a restaurant and event space in Allison Park.
Cozza said Cadence concepts grew out of wanting to make the pro shop into a larger community-building experience.
“A lot of times you’ll go to the park for a run or ride, and say, ‘Okay, I’ll see you next week,’ and it’s like, ‘No, let’s have a beer and a burger that you just earned afterwards,’” he said. “So the mission hasn’t changed. That remains the same, so I’m sure we’ll come up with something good.”