Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Rumors to shut down; what’s next for TV champion chef?
Wilton Manors nightlife enthusiasts and foodies everywhere were bummed when Rumors Bar and Grill announced this week that the popular LGBTQ hot spot will close for good on Sunday, Aug. 18.
Now fans of chef Robyn Almodovar, who helmed the kitchen at Rumors, will have to make do with her Palate Party Gourmet Food Truck.
Almodovar is a TV cooking-competition champ, having won “Chopped” and “Cutthroat Kitchen” as well as appearing as a contestant on “Chopped Impossible,” “Camp Cutthroat” and — not one — but two seasons of “Hell’s Kitchen.”
“I am sad about Rumors closing,” Almodovar says in a text message interview. “It was my neighborhood ‘Cheers.’ It’s one of the staple bars in Wilton Manors and it’s going to be sad to close the doors.”
Almodovar has been with Rumors for three years. “I actually came on as a subcontractor for the kitchen,” she recalls. “So they run the front and I control the back of the house.”
As for what’s next, “There is nothing planned at the moment, but I promise as soon as I know my next step, my fans will be the first to know,” Almodovar says. “I am doing cooking lessons, pop-up dinners. If you’re interested in being a house host for my underground supper, I can be reached at Robynalmodovar@icloud.com.” But if they were so popular ...
When the owners of Rumors announced its closure on its Facebook page Monday, many of the comments expressed shock that such a mainstay of the Wilton Manors scene would be shuttering its doors.
“We’re very busy all the time,” says Nick Berry, the managing partner of Rumors. “There was plenty of money to spread around. But then another bar comes and another bar comes and there’s only so much spendable dollars that people bring. When you dilute that … everyone is giving the house away. Georgie’s Alibi and the Pub recently went to two-forone drinks 24-7, so basically you took the happy hour off [Wilton] Drive. Now you can walk a hundred feet and get a drink for a dollar as opposed to six dollars. We were making a million and a half a year in sales, but the profits have gone down, down, down.”
Berry says that Rumors pays about $17,000 a month in rent for roughly 5,000 square feet. So what happened? Berry contends that Rumors’ demise points to a bigger problem. The dining-entertainment district of Wilton Manors needs more development, not less, as many longtime residents believe.
“But what they don’t realize is that if [the hospitality businesses] go away, their taxes are going to go up,” Berry argues. “They want their sleepy little neighborhoods, but the retirees will not be able to afford those neighborhoods if we don’t … start talking about higher density and lifting the height restrictions.”
He says his observations come from being the owner of two other businesses on the drive, the 11-year-old Courtyard Cafe and the 2-year-old Ticking Ribbit gift shop. He also manages 80 residential properties.
The Michigan native and longtime South Floridian has also been the chairman of the Wilton Manor’s Planning and Zoning Board for 13 years as well as the chairman of the Economic Development Task Force for six years.
Berry says that he has started that conversation with Wilton Manors mayor Justin Flippen and commissioner Julie Carson about the need to create a larger tax base with more businesses and turn Wilton Drive into a thriving enclave, similar to what Flagler Village in downtown Fort Lauderdale is experiencing.
“Right now you can go bowling down Wilton Drive during the day,” he adds. “Fridays and Saturdays, at 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., that’s the only time the city of Wilton Manors has a parking problem. We have a five-floor height restriction. Hotels look here and say, ‘We can’t make money off of five floors. We need 15-20 floors.’ And then they go downtown and they get it.” Saying goodbye:
Over the next two weeks Rumors will offer half-priced drinks as well as $1 drinks on Wednesdays and Saturdays after 9 p.m.
“I really want to say that we really have an awesome staff,” Berry says. “They are like a family with us. Some have been here since we opened. There was a lot of tears and a lot of hugging on Monday when we made the announcement. My employees are loyal. It’s a shame I’m putting 30 people out of work.”