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Confessions At 4105 Washington Ave.


CrockpotandGravel

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This thread was originally created April 6, 2016. I'm reposting / reupping this because this post and other content from me are no longer available on the forum due to a mod removing my account and its content in "error"  (supposedly).  An archive link  of the thread before its deletion is coming soon.



Mods, please don't move this to the Heights forum where all of my Washington Corridor posts were moved to. Mods, also don't sneak and move this thread and all the others for Washington Corridor, Oak Forest, Garden Oaks, and Independence Heights to the Heights forum once all the previous content is reposted as y'all have done and continue to do. This is NOT in the Heights and it's not part of the Greater Heights area in any way. This is in the Washington Corridor area, an area that as suggested and advocated for previously needs its own forum because there is lots of development happening here, much spurred by the Sawyer Yards and Buffalo Heights developments. That in itself usually merits the creation for a new neighborhood forum. Until then, posts for those neighborhoods should remain in the forum for "Other Neighbohoods" has is done with other threads that don't have a dedicated neighborhood or area of town forum.Thanks.





4105 Washington Avenue in Houston.


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This was originally posted April 6, 2016 in the previous thread for 4105 Washington Ave. It's being reposted / reupped since the original thread and other content from me were removed. 



What's going on at 4105 Washington Ave., the building where Fig & Wasp and Beirut Fine Lebanese Cuisine before it closed? A new bar. The bar's name is Up & Down On Washington. The description on Facebook reads:
 
A new ultra lounge + kitchen is coming to Washington Ave for the socially discerning. Previews available every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.




Only the upstairs bar and patio is open.

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From the looks of it, Kuehn Inc (The Raven Tower, White Oak Music Hall, Retrospect Coffee, Heights Bier Garden) is working on this. From their Facebook page last month:

Fig & Wasp Test Kitchen Houston interior bar build under construction now! As special shot out to our #1 Superintendent Justin Piper for finding and mobilizing this project. What an outstanding project from an outstanding member of our team!!


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Edited by CrockpotandGravel
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This was  in the previous thread for 4105 Washington Ave. It's being reposted / reupped since the original thread and other content from me were removed. 




Originally posted by Visitor, April 8, 2016 in the thread for 4105 Washington Ave.



Maybe one day they will figure out something that will stick here.  If it's the same owner I expect more failure.


 

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This was  in the previous thread for 4105 Washington Ave. It's being reposted / reupped since the original thread and other content from me were removed. 




Originally posted by crockpotandgravel, May 6, 2016 in the thread for 4105 Washington Ave.



From Kuehn Inc on Facebook last week:


Custom FFE, custom bars, and interior finish work design build at UP & down Bar on Washington Ave. 4105 Washington Ave Houston, TX 77007!

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  • The title was changed to 4105 Washington Ave
  • 2 years later...

An update about 4105 Washington Avenue from July 2020 by Eater Houston:

 

Don Bowie, the chef behind Midtown hotspot Taste Bar and Kitchen, has a new restaurant in the works for the Washington Corridor.

Permit applications filed with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission indicate the Bowie plans to open a new spot called Rare at 4105 Washington Avenue.

 

https://houston.eater.com/2020/7/21/21333065/chef-don-bowie-rare-restaurant-washington-corridor-taste-bar-kitchen-lawsuit-kevin-kelley

 

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As suspected when news of Rare was first reported two years ago, the restaurant will be a steak house. I think it will also include a lounge component.

Construction and renovation of 4105 Washington Ave took about a year and a half. A few days ago, a teaser video announcing the new concept was uploaded to Rare's social media.

The video gives a glimpse of the remodeling process and the finishing results. It also introduces the owners and partners of Rare, which includes songer-producer Akon and former Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson.

I think the transformation turned out well, at least from a few photos and videos I've viewed. 




Photos of the finished or nearly completed design and buildout:


Entry with custom marble design and light installation
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZrrefAOPI_/

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https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ9kO1LMX0t/
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Private dining room with custom chain chandelier
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ11zG3tOaV/

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Bar and lounge on second floor
https://www.instagram.com/p/CaKqZyVLvNg/

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DJ stage
https://www.instagram.com/p/CaUvW4rJ-81/

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Edited by IntheKnowHouston
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  • 4 weeks later...
  • The title was changed to 4105 Washington Ave.

Rare, the steakhouse and lounge at 4105 Washington Ave, was in risk of closing a month after opening. This is one of many eye-opening allegations stated in a lawsuit filed in early May from the restaurant's investors.

KTRK / ABC 13 reported on the lawsuit against Don Bowie, chef and owner(?) of Rare last week.

Other allegations against Bowie are claims of theft/embezzlement and fraud.

From the news report:

"[Andre]Johnson and Akon contributed approximately $1.2 million to fund the restaurant, and Bowie was supposed to give an additional $700,000. Although, the investors wrote in the lawsuit they do not believe the chef ever gave any money."

 

Bowie's former partner at Taste made this same allegation in a lawsuit against Bowie in 2020.

 

Also:

"They [investors] said banking records show unexplained transfers out of the restaurant's accounts. Attorneys believe the money made at Rare is being used to fund Bowie's other restaurant and for personal use."

 

https://abc13.com/houston-chef-sued-don-bowie-by-partners-missing-money-lawsuit/11991296/

 

https://abc13.com/taste-bar-and-kitchen-employees-payment-chef-bowie/12001979/

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17 hours ago, j_cuevas713 said:

After reading this I have no idea how they plan to move Taste downtown. This seems like a pipedream with all the allegations against Bowie. It doesn't look very good when two celebs offer to fund your project and then you bail on your end of the bargain. 

 

I have a lot of thoughts about all of this, but I won't post it publicly. I will say, none of this surprises me because I had a hunch what's being alleged was going to happen.

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  • 2 months later...

Steakhouse and lounge Rare closed earlier this week. It was located at 4105 Washington Avenue.

Chef/co-owner Don Bowie is also the owner of Taste (Taste Bar + Kitchen). Hours before the state seized Taste's Midtown location for unpaid taxes and the court gave Bowie's landlord the green light to evict him, staff removed furniture, kitchenware, and other fixtures from the restaurant. The items were taken in the wee hours of the morning - likely unbeknownst to Taste's landlord, the state, and the court.

To prevent that from happening again, Rare's owners/investors filed a motion to halt attempts of any property removal. Owners were made aware of this possibility after KTRK aired footage of Taste employees removing equipment and fixtures. There were concerns Bowie would steal fixtures and other items for Taste's new downtown location. The court granted the motion. According to the owners and investors, "the only thing that is worth anything at Rare now is the equipment and the fixtures."

A few notes from the filing, as reported by KTRK yesterday:

  • Rare closed abruptly Sunday

  • The restaurant's account is $270,000 in the red.

  • The money was garnished by the state comptroller's office.

  • The state agency told ABC13 that Rare Steakhouse owes about $140,000 in unpaid taxes. 



https://abc13.com/taste-bar-and-kitchen-bagby-unpaid-taxes-houston-restaurant-closed/12191567/

Edited by IntheKnowHouston
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  • 1 month later...

Replacing shuttered steakhouse restaurant Rare at 4105 Washington Ave is a new dining concept possibly named Calabash.

I don't know what Calabash's concept will entail, but this will be the latest restaurant from Don Bowie.

As some may recall, Bowie was co-owner of Rare, which was also owned by others including Akon and former NFL player Andre Johnson. Bowie was sued by the restaurant's other owners and investors for theft and fraud. The restaurant closed less than six months after opening.

From entity filings, it appears Bowie is partnering with a lawyer, who was recently hired to replace his former one in his ongoing Rare lawsuit. There are also two others listed on the entity.


Also @Highrise Tower please consider removing the tag "the heights". This is NOT located in the Heights. It's in the Rice Military area. You don't have to tag every property or building in this forum as the Heights when it's not.

Edited by IntheKnowHouston
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  • 1 month later...
On 10/10/2022 at 8:19 AM, IntheKnowHouston said:

Replacing shuttered steakhouse restaurant Rare at 4105 Washington Ave is a new dining concept possibly named Calabash.

I don't know what Calabash's concept will entail, but this will be the latest restaurant from Don Bowie.

As some may recall, Bowie was co-owner of Rare, which was also owned by others including Akon and former NFL player Andre Johnson. Bowie was sued by the restaurant's other owners and investors for theft and fraud. The restaurant closed less than six months after opening.

From entity filings, it appears Bowie is partnering with a lawyer, who was recently hired to replace his former one in his ongoing Rare lawsuit. There are also two others listed on the entity


I don't know what happened with plans for Calabash at 4105 Washington Ave. Nevertheless, the building will be home to another new business soon.

A sports bar and lounge concept is opening at 4105 Washington Ave. 

80 Sports Bar & Lounge is the latest food & beverage business from former NFL wide receiver Andre Johnson. The name is a nod to Johnson's jersey number during his Texans years. Official news of the bar was announced over the weekend on various social media accounts. However some behind the concept have been posting about 80 for several weeks. 

The address for 80 / 80 Sports Bar & Lounge wasn't disclosed in the announcement, but a post from another owner a few weeks ago showed the interior of Rare. 80 could open as soon as next month in December.

Johnson's new bar replaces his steakhouse concept Rare. The steak-centric restaurant closed a few months ago. It was a joint venture with musician Akon, chef Don Bowie, and others.  With the exception of Bowie, I think most of Rare's owners and investors are also part of 80.


https://www.instagram.com/80sportsbar/

 

 

A photo inside 80 that was posted a few weeks ago.

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Edited by IntheKnowHouston
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  • The title was changed to Retail Building At 4105 Washington Ave.
  • 1 month later...

An architectural barriers project filing for 4105 Washington Avenue was filed today with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). The permit is for a business listed as Confessions. It's probably a bar, club, restaurant, or a combination of all three. 

Details from the filing:

 

  • Estimated Start Date: December 11, 2023
     
  • Estimated Completion Date: November 24, 2025
     
  • Estimated Cost:  $54,000
     
  • Type of Work: Renovation/Alteration
     
  • Scope of Work: Kitchen remodel
     
  • Square Footage: 400 sf
     
  • Design Firm: Gage Architecture
     


https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/TABS/Search/Print/TABS2024006334

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  • The title was changed to 4105 Washington Ave.
  • 2 months later...
On 12/1/2023 at 7:35 AM, IntheKnowHouston said:

An architectural barriers project filing for 4105 Washington Avenue was filed today with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). The permit is for a business listed as Confessions. It's probably a bar, club, restaurant, or a combination of all three. 

Details from the filing:

 

  • Estimated Start Date: December 11, 2023
     
  • Estimated Completion Date: November 24, 2025
     
  • Estimated Cost:  $54,000
     
  • Type of Work: Renovation/Alteration
     
  • Scope of Work: Kitchen remodel
     
  • Square Footage: 400 sf
     
  • Design Firm: Gage Architecture
     


https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/TABS/Search/Print/TABS2024006334



A plan reviewing fee permit was purchased last week for 4105 Washington Avenue.


Details from the permits:

  • Use: Remodel, restaurant
  • FCC Group: Non-residential alteration


As posted previously, a business called Confessions is occupying the space. It's labeled as a restaurant. It's possible this may be more along the lines of a lounge and nightclub too.



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  • The title was changed to Confessions At 4105 Washington Ave.

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