First Thursday, June 1, turned out to be the end of the line for the English pub, Whale and Ale. Its permanent closure was announced on the restaurant’s Instagram account and confirmed in the comment section by an account administrator.
The closure apparently was a surprise to everyone, including the staff, who were informed shortly after the building owner, Marilyn Klaus, received the news from the O’Sullivans. The O’Sullivans took over the iconic establishment in 2020 from restaurateur Andrew Silber, who ran it for the previous 24 years.
The Klauses said they’re looking for a restaurateur with experience running a place that offers Northern European cuisine.
Chuck Klaus noted that the Whale and Ale offers a ‘take-away’ counter, and tea room potential, in addition to its restaurant/bar appeal. The space can, at once, host multiple private meetings and meals.
The Klauses described the O’Sullivans as good, constructive tenants who paid their rent in a timely fashion.
“We’re sorry to see them go,” Chuck Klaus said. “But we’re already getting many inquiries about other people running the place, so we anticipate that it will reopen in a fairly timely fashion.”