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Closing time arrives at Norfolk Pub

Closing time arrives at Norfolk Pub

Owner and chef Heidi Forler, at right in foreground, with her bartenders and patrons on the last night of the Norfolk Pub.

Jennifer Almquist

NORFOLK — It was a bittersweet, yet celebratory weekend in town as the Norfolk Pub closed for good on Saturday, Jan. 31, after five decades.

The Pub was located in the recently-sold Royal Arcanum building, and the Pub’s lease was not renewed. While mourning its demise, the community gathered for three evenings last week to pay homage to their local watering hole.

On Wednesday, the Norfolk Pub hosted its final trivia night, which had been run by Bruce Paddock for 14 years. A packed crowd of regulars gave the staff a standing ovation.

Norfolk musician Mike Cobb and his Americana band, the Sons of Astro, joined in the town’s celebration. They rocked the house on Friday night.

Cobb said, “The Pub embodies a spirit vital to this town. That’s why I decided to play a last gig with my band. This is our way to give thanks to a beloved Norfolk institution. Long live the Pub!”

Every seat was full in the dining room as patrons at the bar raised their glasses for the last time on Saturday evening.

Lindsey Prevusnak, a bartender for 10 years, paused for a moment amid the rush, “This loss is a blow to my colleagues, a heartbreak for the community.”

The crew poses in the kitchen.Jennifer Almquist

Some Norfolk residents had even gathered signatures on a petition to try to save the Pub. Pub owner and chef Heidi Forler spoke with tears in her eyes as the room filled with well-wishing customers. “I am feeling lucky and grateful for the great crew we have at the Norfolk Pub. What we accomplished is amazing. Are we sad? Yes, but I wish the new owners the best of luck. I say, good for them.”

The Royal Arcanum building was sold to American Folk & Heritage LLC, owned by Norfolk residents Dev Aujla, Aaron Aujla and Emily Adams Bode Aujla, who is also a fashion designer and owner of the American fashion brand, Bode.

Dev Aujla, one of the new owners of the landmark brick building, built in 1904, commented, “We are excited to be stewards of the Royal Arcanum. We are currently in the middle of doing all the deferred maintenance with the goal of ensuring the building remains a safe and vital part of the community. We have no plans to get rid of the kitchen in the space, but we will be upgrading everything as dictated by the insurance carrier and ensuring the future of the space remains a central gathering place for the town. We love this town and have been met with nothing but positivity, even by those who started the petition.”

Jennifer Almquist
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