Photo by Kamp Fender.
Mountain Brook Village's Avo and Dram have closed after a decade. (Kamp Fender)
After 10 years in the heart of Mountain Brook Village, owner Tom Sheffer said his restaurants Avo and Dram Whiskey Bar, formerly located at 2721 Cahaba Road, were closed as of the new year.
Sheffer said this decision came at the end of the 10-year lease. He said they previously discussed not renewing Avo’s contract, but wanted to renegotiate Dram’s because it had become “kind of a neighborhood fixture.”
“And we wanted it to be for a bit longer,” he said.
Due to high rent, competition and inability to serve lunch at that location, Sheffer said they were unable to make the numbers work. “You have to bet on the future a little bit, and we didn’t see the numbers working in the future,” he said.
He added that he has had offers to open Dram elsewhere, but as of Jan. 3, those options were still being explored.
Sheffer called the closing of Avo and Dram “bittersweet,” as it brought out great support and kind words from community members, both on social media and in person. He said some of his patrons had been eating at the restaurants since opening, and some have turned into friends.
“You hate to not be there for them,” he said. “We get guests, and then you get friends, and some people are both.”
Sheffer said his other restaurants, Jackson’s, in Homewood, and Icehouse, in Mountain Brook Village, will remain open. Some of Dram’s menu, including drinks, French fries and some burger options, will be carried over to Icehouse, as well.
“Icehouse is clearly smaller, but we’re going to feature some of the highlights … We’ll welcome as many as we can to Icehouse,” he said. “We’ll give it a Dram accent over there.”
