Exclusive: Owner of Trevi Lounge in Fairfield explains decision to close one of area's only gay bars
Trevi shocked many by announcing its sudden closure after 17 years in an Instagram post.
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Trevi Lounge in Fairfield, which is one of the only LGBTQ bars in Fairfield County, shocked many with a sudden Instagram post last week stating that after 17 years, the business was closing, effective immediately.
"So many are feeling a sense of loss at this time," said Robert Rickard, a regular at Trevi. "There's thousands of people who would come here on a regular basis and call this their place of sanctuary."
Rickard says Trevi was especially important for young people who were just coming out of the closet, and had "a place that they could be around other people like themselves, and know that they're not alone, that they're validated."
As sudden as the announcement seemed, owner Katia Capozziello told News 12, it is something she had been thinking about for a long time.
Business had slowed down in recent years, her husband had some health issues and she was tired.
"I was never sure and once I made that decision, I was like, 'OK, I need to do it now, otherwise, I'm not going to do it,'" she said.
Capozziello even signed papers in June to sell Trevi to a company which promised to keep it running as a gay bar.
However, shortly after that, when the new company was still going through the process of getting its liquor license, Capozziello says she started hearing and reading stories of legal issues and bankruptcies at other bars the company had taken over.
Worried Trevi would be next, she decided to pull out of the deal. While she did try to find another buyer who would also keep it as a gay bar, she had no luck.
Instead, she will be leasing the space to a local group that has already started work to turn the space into a lounge and restaurant.
"Oh my God, I'm going to miss it a lot," she said. "The only thing I can say is if you're part of this community, now more than ever is the time for you to support your local gay bars. There's not a lot of gay bars out there, that's the sad part."
Capozziello says she does plan to stay active in the community in retirement, including potentially hosting a proper "Trevi Farewell Night" at the new place when it opens.
