Iconic Sacramento bar frequented by powerful politicians to close its doors
SACRAMENTO — A Sacramento bar frequented by governors and other powerful politicians is going out of business.
Simon's Bar and Cafe has been in business for nearly four decades. Some call Simon's the second State Capitol.
The business on 16th Street is just blocks from where the governor and lawmakers work — and over the years, it's been a well-known place for politicians to unwind and make after-hour deals.
"They used to come in and talk, and they used to sign deals on papers," said Simon's bartender Norman Kwong.
The walls there are like a history lesson in state politics, filled with pictures of lawmakers and other political elite, but the pandemic hit this business hard.
The founder, Simon Chan, died of COVID-19 in 2021. His son continued to run the business, but now the announcement has been made that Simon's will be closing for good at the end of November.
"It's going to be very sad to see it go," said Bonni Orlandi, a Simon's customer.
"I'm going to miss all the customers, all the regulars throughout the years that I met," Kwong said.
Several factors contributed to the closure including the loss of so many customers who are state workers and now work remotely.
"The economy has changed," Kwong said. "We no longer open for lunch because a lot of people work at home."
"The fact that state workers post-COVID have not come back has been a killer for downtown," Simon's customer Art Luna said. "A lot of businesses have disappeared."
Loyal patrons are now making the most of their fond memories before the final last call.
"It's sad," Luna said. "It's just another little bit of history that will be disappearing from downtown."
The property that Simon's sits on is owned by the state and is slated for future redevelopment as a housing complex.