It's not every day a saloon that operated as a speakeasy during Prohibition opens, and especially in Capitol Hill. But tonight, Beuchert’s Saloon opens its doors for a soft opening after nearly 80 years.
The project, which the saloon’s owners say started a year ago, revives an old history and aesthetic with brick walls and fixtures and finishes that look like they date from the turn of the century. The beer and soda taps resemble those from the early 1900s, and two buffalo heads hanging on the bar wall complete Beuchert’s 19th-century look.
“We think that we have something that is different from most of the others restaurants in D.C.,” Nathan Berger, one of the shop’s owners, says about their new venture. “We tried to make the space look like it never closed.”
Located at 623 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Beuchert’s 1300-square-foot space will feature a 40-foot bar, a charcuterie station with a meat slicer from 1918, and seating capacity for more than 50 people.
According to records and archives acquired by the owners, the original Beuchert’s Saloon was founded in 1880 and it operated behind other storefronts.
Berger says the restaurant's grand opening is scheduled for March 15.
Luis Velarde writes about business, investments, real estate, and urban development. His work has appeared in the BBC World Service, Voice of America and others.