Cause "Philanthropub" Will Close Temporarily for Repairs

In this week’s print column, Y&H took a look at how Cause “philanthropub,” the Shaw bar and restaurant that’s pledged to give all its money to charity, hasn’t yet earned any profits to give.

Then, yesterday, blog Barred in DC reported that the restaurant is closing—-but co-owner Raj Ratwani tells Y&H it’s just closing temporarily for repairs. The restaurant has had some electrical problems, including power outages, because of a shortage of power coming into the building. To fix it, Cause will need a new electrical panel, which will require tearing up one of the closets and waiting on Pepco for additional ampage. The air-conditioning unit has also been a source of trouble, and the restaurant took to crowd-funding site Indiegogo to try to raise $11,000 for an overhaul. Ultimately, it was only able to raise a little more than $1,000. But with that money plus additional funds contributed by Ratwani, co-owner Nick Vilelle, and a few other outside investors, Ratwani says they’ll now be able to solve their A.C. woes.

Because these repairs require cutting into the ceiling and walls, Ratwani says the easiest way to take care of the problems is to temporarily shut down.

“Besides, I need a little vacation,” he says.

Cause will close Aug. 19 and reopen sometime in September. Ratwani says he doesn’t know the specific reopening date because he doesn’t know the extent of the work that needs to be done.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery