Golden Girls Cafe Shutters After Less Than a Year

Despite a fairly enthusiastic following, the Golden Girls-themed Rue La Rue Cafe in Washington Heights has closed. But extreme fans can still put hope in a return.

Owner Michael J. La Rue posted on the cafe’s Facebook page that he was taking some time to “process the lessons learned during the rehearsal period this last year and, hopefully, continue to provide this special experience to guests from around the world.”

The cafe, filled with memorabilia from the cult favorite show about three sassy female friends, opened in February 2017 to much excitement from fans. People — including Lin-Manuel Miranda — flocked to see items from the show, including an Emmy, outfits, and photos. La Rue was close friends with the late actress Rue McLanahan, who played Blanche Devereaux on the show, and gifted him some of the items on display.

But it wasn’t totally smooth sailing, with La Rue’s former assistant suing him for sexual harassment this summer. Now the cafe has closed, and it is unclear if it will return.

• All Coverage of Rue La Rue Cafe [ENY]