Two years since a devastating fire, the Sly Grog Lounge is about to complete its comeback, like a quirky Phoenix rising from the ashes on the fringes of downtown Asheville.
“We’re baaaaa-aaack!” Sly Grog backers announced Tuesday, March 5 on their popular Facebook page, which included a group photo of some of the staff members, artists and musicians who helped turn the lounge into an eclectic, art-packed clubhouse of sorts before an early-morning fire in December 2021.
“Sly Grog Lounge just had our first staff meeting in what feels like a lifetime, and we couldn’t be more excited!” the posting said.
They announced a first major workday starting at 10 a.m. March 20 “until we’re done.”
One immediate goal is to empty and clean the shop, guard shack and courtyard, in preparation for a scheduled re-opening May 17.
They’ve also written about the need to clean, paint and build the stage and bar. At the site on Haywood Street, parking lot landscaping and improvements already have taken place, while an entry courtyard appears little changed since damaged equipment was pulled out of the structure in the months following the fire.
People who want to participate in work days are encouraged to email organizers at grogsly@gmail.com.
This week’s announcements drew hundreds of “likes” and a flood of joyous reactions from the Grog’s fan base.
As the Asheville Fringe Arts Festival profile put it: “We missed you so much!!”