The clock is now very loudly ticking at The Townhouse, the Emeryville institution that has weathered nearly a century of change. The longtime spot says it will close this Saturday unless a private investor steps in to buy the building or provide emergency financing, turning the coming weekend into what could be a final goodbye.
"It is with deep regret and heavy hearts that we announce the closing of The Townhouse Restaurant," owner Dan Seng wrote, per The E'ville Eye. According to TownhouseEmeryville.com, the team has set a hard deadline: the dining room will shut its doors this Saturday unless a lender comes through with a private loan to acquire the property.
The financial ask is straightforward, if not exactly small. Seng is seeking a $2 million private loan structured to net the lender roughly an 8% return over three years. As outlined by The E'ville Eye, the proposal calls for 4% simple interest per year for three years, with repayment of principal plus an additional 4% when the note is converted or repaid. The loan would be secured by a first-position lien on the property.
What It Would Take To Save The Townhouse
Seng says the immediate need is capital to lower overhead and fund structural work so the restaurant can keep operating while growing its catering business. Marketing materials for the sale show the restaurant parcel and the adjacent lot at 5862 and 5872 Doyle Street on the market with an asking price in the low-$2-million range, spelling out the size of the financing gap that a buyer or lender would need to bridge. Parcel details appear in a listing included in a broker packet.
A Century Of Reinvention
The building that now houses The Townhouse went up in 1926, built by Emeryville fireman Frank Mesnickow. Over the decades, it has been a speakeasy, a country-western bar, and later a fine-dining venue. As the Emeryville Historical Society recounts, the address has repeatedly reinvented itself and served as an anchor for local nightlife through multiple eras.
Final Nights And How To Help
In the short term, Seng is inviting regulars and first-timers alike to book a table for what may be the restaurant's final service. Reservations are being taken on Yelp, and the public call for help also includes an appeal to private lenders. Interested investors are asked to contact [email protected] or call (510) 652-6151, according to the restaurant's notice. The team says it would prefer a private loan secured by the property, which they hope would keep the restaurant alive while longer-term repairs and business pivots are put in place.
If no deal comes together by Saturday, The Townhouse will close and a century of Emeryville history will be put on pause. The E'ville Eye notes that Seng promoted longtime bar manager Todd O'Leary to general manager this year as part of a push to keep the venue thriving, and locals say this weekend could be the last chance to raise a glass to the building's many lives.
