Iconic Vernon Watering Hole Doomed For Closure

VERNON, CT — The Free Spirit Cafe, a longtime watering hole and entertainment venue in Vernon, is destined to close because the property it sits on is being bought by the French Club in East Hartford, the permittee of the business said Thursday.

Free Spirit permittee Kenny Blinn said the business will operate as long as it can.

"We plan to open the doors and do what we do until we get the word ...," he said.

Blinn said he first received notice about the proposed sale about a week ago. The owner of the land at 341 Kelly Road has accepted an offer sheet from the French Social Circle of Hartford, which is acutally based in East Hartford.

The Free Spirit has been at the location for years.

Sources at the French Club said Goodwin College has bought the property at 373 Main St. in East Hartford. A representative of the club could not be reached Friday morning.

A Goodwin spokesman said, "Goodwin College, Inc. purchased the building at 373 Main St., East Hartford, in October 2018. It is currently leased to French Club. There are no plans for the future at this point."

Blinn said he has few detals of the purchase agreement, but said it's "99 percent" that the sale "will go through." There is a clause for either party to rescind, he said.

He said he has no timetable for both the real estate closing and when the Free Spirit would close. He did say it will not be relocated.