AUBURN - As doors opened for a final Friday night at Spirits Tavern and Cafe, friends poured in to fill up on great drinks, live music, and camaraderie that they might never have again.

Spirits is closing after 25 years to make room for Stardust Foundations' State Street streetscape project.

“This is a dynasty that's dying,” said Kathy Ellsworth, of Fleming, a Spirits regular for the past 15 years. Ellsworth, on the Spirits' Dazed and Confused pool team, said, “We play every Wednesday night. It just began to sink in on Wednesday.” She was losing a lot more than a building, she said. “I'm missing it bad already. Our last home game will be at the Falcons because we won't have a place to play.”

“I've already had to wipe a few tears from my eyes,” said Ken Carpenter, pool team member from Cayuga. He returned here four years ago from Denver.

Regina Klemp, a Welch Allyn assembler, took off from work to be at Spirits. “It's the end of an era,” she said. “I wouldn't miss it. The individuals here are so special.” Klemp said she liked Saturday afternoons, when sometimes she and the bartender were there themselves to share ideas.

Sue Van Luven, of Auburn, and seven friends were at happy hour every Friday for the past 23 years. Her friend Tina Ahern said they came to unwind, relax, and complain about work.

“When they had the bands out here in the summer was the best time I ever had,” said Georgia Burcroff, of Auburn. “You met a lot of different people, families with kids, who would come outside for the music.”

Dylan Adams, of Auburn, liked the different mixes of people who came to Spirits. “Everybody from doctors and lawyers to blue-collar workers, and the bartenders, have been wonderful for years.”

Isabella Stevens sold the Spirits building at 20 State St. to JBJ Real Property, LLC as a three-parcel package, with 16 and 18 State St., for $300,000, as well as 24 State St. for $350,000.

The multi-building Stardust project includes a business incubator, First Niagara Bank, Choices for Change, the Cayuga Chapter of the Red Cross, Stardust, Downtown Auburn Business Improvement District, and Pioneer, the project's manager.

Friday night the bar was open, but the kitchen had already been dismantled. Patrons savored their last hurrah as Motley Cruton struck up a tune.

at 7:30, with Johnny Bender also scheduled to perform. John Stevens, sole proprietor, sat near the end of the bar.

“It's the talk of the town,” he said, recalling wistfully how the restaurant and bar had taken root in 1983.

The Stevens family business began with John's grandfather, newly arrived from Beirut, in the late 1800s. Their State Street department store started by selling clothing door-to-door with a pushcart. The business settled into a storefront on the north side of Clark and North Division Streets, then moved in 1910 into a department store on State Street.

After World War II, Anthony Stevens, John's father, took over the business. He had met Isabelle, John's mother, during the war in southern France, where she was born.

“We used a lot of her recipes, especially for desserts,” John said. “She was the one who learned to cook from my grandmother.”

John's father remained the financial manager when John, then in his 30s, began managing the restaurant.

“Originally we weren't going to have a restaurant,” John said. “The building became dilapidated while it was leased by the bank, and we went in to clean it up. After we remodeled it, the bank decided not to lease it again.” The family opened up the bar first, then the restaurant.

“How hard could it be to run a bar anyway? I thought,” John said. “That's when I gave up drinking. Talk about being blindsided. It was a hit from day one.” He had envisioned enjoying himself there with his friends but lost some of his time to socialize.

“You knew what sacrifices you had to make,” he said. “The hours changed dramatically. Boy, was that a shock.”

John said he still wonders why the city gave him a hard time whenever he proposed a new idea: a sidewalk cafe, outdoor music, and the issue alcohol on city property? “I don't understand why they never cooperated. I've fought with the city for so many years,” he said.

He also said the city never acknowledged him for putting up with a year of having the street torn up in front of his business.

“I received no thank you letter for cooperating,” he said. Even the gas and electric company sent him a letter of thanks.

“That's water under the bridge,” John said.

Spirits will be open Saturday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday from noon to midnight.

And then it will be a memory.

Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net