Like venues all around the city, Douglas Corner Cafe closed its doors in March on what was hoped to be a temporary basis. Word has come that the venerable songwriter hangout, which has operated from its spot on Eighth Avenue South opposite Zanies Comedy Club since 1987, will not reopen.
In a video posted today to the venue's Facebook page, owner Mervin Louque broke the news.
“This has been a hard decision, and a lot of prayer has gone into it,” Louque said. “I came off the road many years ago from doing engineering and was fortunate enough to open this club. I want to go back and thank Terry Martin and Rick Martin who supported me in that. If it wasn't for them, I never would have been here.”
In addition to the Martins, Louque named several of the trusted staffers who've helped him maintain the club's status as a touchstone for rising singer-songwriters: longtime bartender Rhonda Way, sound engineers Donnie Winters (who began hosting an open-mic night at the club, Louque noted, after the original incarnation of The Sutler closed) Rick Campbell and Phil Smith, and Terry Hudson, who handled social media for the venue.
In the 1980s and ’90s, Douglas Corner was a place where rising artists and songwriters — like Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood — would come to hone their chops. The club continued to host writers' rounds and multiple weekly shows until March 15.
“I'm very proud of this place and the legacy I'm leaving here,” Louque said. “It breaks my heart, but there comes a time when we all need to move on and do other things. And that's my time now.”
