It was only a couple of years ago when I, along with a few friends, found ourselves sitting at the bar at the Royal Pheasant Supper Club drinking a beer or two. I remember listening to some live music (The Waz, Crittenden and Rozler) while taking in the magnificent rehab job that had transformed the interior from grimy to glistening. It was nice to see one of the city’s old clubs make a comeback. The club’s owners had painstakingly gone through and reworked every last detail in order to bring back the original luster (see post). Gone were the days of the smoke-filled lobster joint, though much of the original equestrian decor remained, in order to pay homage to The Pheasant’s track betting history. That was back in ’05.
Today, the exterior of the supper club looks pretty sad. Every time I pass by, I scan the front of the building in hopes that someone is working on the place. As of late my hopes of seeing anything other than graffiti and pealing signs wanes. At one point, this restaurant and bar could have been a turnkey operation. It pains me to think of all of the hard work that went into bringing The Pheasant back to life. For a short period of time, it looked as if the owners had rescued the supper club from the grave.
Though I have not been inside this club since it closed a couple of years ago, I am hoping that the interior is not experiencing the same neglect as the exterior. If that is the case, it would be a real shame. At one point, I had thought that the rebirth of the business would rekindle similar revitalization efforts along the south side of Forest Avenue. That was not to be the case however. How is it that, when the owner of the supper club packed up, the owner of the building didn’t do his or her part to capitalize on the investment? If the facade building were taken care of, instead of succumbing to the elements, another interested club owner might actually call the number on the building to inquire about leasing. Instead, there are boarded up windows on top, with graffiti, missing bricks, and a pealing sign below.
Despite the poor fortune of The Royal Pheasant, we have seen some brilliant rehabs around the city in recent weeks. The 31 Club and Encore are both examples of club owners who have made significant investments into their respective buildings. I hope that someday we see a similar turn of events for The Pheasant. Forest Avenue needs to see this place come back to life. And until it does, it might behoove the building owner to fix up the front. It would be a shame to continue to let the place go, especially after it came so close to becoming another Buffalo mainstay.
Royal Pheasant. 443 Forest Ave Buffalo, NY 14213