After 22 years in business, the restaurant Sambuca has closed its doors.
The spot, which featured nightly live music, was located at the base of the Rice Hotel at the corner of Travis and Texas Avenue.
In a Facebook post, the owner said, “In recent years, we’ve faced challenges that have tested our resilience. The changing climate of our city, with rising homelessness and crime, coupled with the lingering impacts of COVID and the resulting empty office spaces, has created a perfect storm that we could not weather. Though we fought with everything we had to keep our doors open, we’re choosing to close this chapter with gratitude, carrying countless memories over the past 22 years.”
According to a study by the Greater Houston Partnership, 26% of downtown office space is vacant, down from 28% in 2022. Vacant office space in downtown started rising in 2014.
Homelessness is a problem that Houston Mayor John Whitmire recently addressed. He announced a years-long strategy to get every person off the street and reclaim public spaces.