We know D.C. Get our free newsletter to stay in the know.
Many hearts were broken last week when news broke that the Renaissance Mayflower hotel will be closing the much-loved Town & Country Lounge and will replace it with a snazzy new outpost for Thomas Pink in the nation’s capital. A Mayflower press release issued yesterday notes that the Town & Country space was originally retail when the hotel opened and says that the old Thomas Pink space fronting Connecticut Avenue—where a new bar/lounge will take shape—was once “home to a coffee shop and several eateries frequented by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and President Harry Truman.”
We never realized that Hoover and Truman were anyone’s culinary guidestars. On the other hand, the 33rd president, a former haberdasher, might have been a good name to drop in connection with the relocated Thomas Pink. At any rate, here’s the press release, which also has details about the multi-million dollar renovation of the lobby and what’s in store for Café Promenade:
THE MAYFLOWER RENAISSANCE HOTEL ANNOUNCES MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR REDESIGN OF BUILDING’S LOBBY
Washington, DC [January 11, 2011] – The Mayflower Renaissance Hotel begins 2011 with the announcement of a substantial redesign project, including a multi-million dollar refurbishment of the historic hotel. Beginning this month, the ‘Grand Dame’ of the nation’s capital will undergo physical upgrades to the lobby, restaurant, bar and retail spaces. The renovation, designed by acclaimed firm Wilson Associates, will begin later this month and is expected to conclude mid-summer 2011.
“We are excited to enter a bold new era for the Mayflower,” said General Manager Satinder Palta. “The hotel continues to evolve and provide the very best in service for business and social functions alike, as well as superb cuisine for our friends and neighbors. We look forward to welcoming a new era for the hotel while maintaining the legacy of the Mayflower tradition.”
The current Town & Country Lounge will become the new home of Thomas Pink — a layout that recalls an earlier configuration of the hotel in which the retail space faces DeSales Street. The new Thomas Pink store will resurface with a fresh look similar to its prototype in London.
The area presently occupied by Thomas Pink will offer a new dining option with a restaurant and bar for patrons to enjoy food and drink. In the past, the space near Connecticut Avenue was home to a coffee shop and several eateries frequented by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and President Harry Truman, who bestowed upon the hotel its nickname, “Washington’s Second Best Address.”
The Mayflower’s Café Promenade will reopen as a new 3,000 square foot gala event space. The historic ballroom’s breathtaking skylight, chandeliers and murals will remain intact for guests to admire.