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A beloved San Ramon Valley institution is in its final days this month after serving as a central community gathering spot for almost 80 years.
Owners of The Brass Door announced this week that the longstanding restaurant at 2154 San Ramon Valley Blvd. will be closed for good effective Christmas Day, with its famed prime rib and local wine set to flow during the business’ final day of operation on Christmas Eve.
“Despite our best efforts, we were unable to secure or renew a lease for our location, and we must bring this chapter to a close at the end of that day,” the restaurant’s owners said on Facebook on Monday.
That chapter has lasted for decades, with the spot initially established in 1946 as the 8/5 Club – when the small, then-unincorporated community had a population of 100, according to the business’s website – featuring a six-seat bar that could hold up to 20 guests.
The initial name was a nod to the original owner Howard “Shorty” Schlesinger’s favorite betting odds for horse races.
“He featured steamed beer and fried chicken, and a row of nickel slot machines,” Brass Door owners wrote on their website. “He served primarily the local ranchers, cattlemen, and travelers along ‘Highway 21’ on their way to San Jose and beyond.”
The club evolved into The Brass Door in 1955, when it was taken over by the original owner’s son Mick Schlesinger and Dick Basso, and “they and the restaurant grew along with the San Ramon Valley.”
As the restaurant became a go-to gathering spot for the community and continued to be a beloved institution into the present day, the owners said they were hopeful for a new chapter at some point in the future.
“While this chapter comes to an end, the spirit and legacy of The Brass Door will remain strong,” the owners said on Facebook. “We hope that one day we may reopen in a new home and welcome you back to a new chapter of this beloved establishment.”
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