Cafe Bohemia Sold, But Will Remain Open

The recipes and the location are not changing, but for those who have come to know  over the last eight-plus years, it may never be quite the same again. 

Thursday, owners Matthew Neal and his mother, Bonnie Neal, sold the cafe to local businessman Lou Albano. Thursday night was Matt, Bonnie and Candyce Collard's last night running the shop.  

"It was a good place to come to," Bonnie said of what she wants people to remember about Bohemia. "A comfortable place, where the food was good, the company was good. That it was a place that interacted with the community."

Matt said that when you move on from any business it is always a bittersweet decision. He said he has no regrets about the leaving the business, but is worried he is disappointing people who have come to love and rely on Bohemia.

"I can be OK with letting things go, but I just hope that it is still available for people to feel comfortable," Matt said.  

While trying at times, Bonnie said it has absolutely been worth it. "All the friends we’ve made, it is amazing," she said. "It's nice having people appreciate what you do."

Bohemia gave many artists their first break, Matt said. Some painters got their first art show on the walls of Bohemia and many local students got to perform their first show in front of an audience at Bohemia's outside patio. 

"That's the kind of stuff I'm proud of," Matt said.

While not always the easier, or cheapest, route, Matt said he is also proud that his food was made from scratch and that they actually shopped locally for their products. "We go shopping for produce every other day," he said. 

In the end a thirst for something more and a fatigue of the same routine helped Matt make the decision it was time to move on. 

Before the recession, Matt said he used to have four or five extra employees but as the economy tanked and gas prices shot up he decreased his labor and increased his hours. 

"Choosing to take more of that (work) was not really a sustainable model," Matt said. "I'm getting tired."

What's Next?

Bonnie said they have been searching for a buyer for the last year and now that the search is over, she plans to go back into her other career — real estate. 

Matt and Candyce plan to take a month off and then head toward the Appalachian mountains in North Carolina or Virginia. There, Matt said he can figure out his next move, which could be starting a farm or even going to grad school.

"I've started romanticizing the idea of having a little farm," Matt said. "Something I could never really pull off here. I'm just going to spend the next couple month trying to (figure) it out and try to work out going to grad school."

Thursday night Matt, Bonnie and Candyce said goodbye to Bohemia with the hope that they made a lasting impression on the cafe's loyal patrons.

"We had a good long run," Bonnie said. "I'd like to think, and know, that we made a difference here in this part of town."

"I like cooking for people," Matt said. "I like making good food and learning about food over time through trial and error and knowing that when you give something to someone you know that no s*** went into it. Just your heart and love and honesty. Maybe that’s the bottom line."