So here's my latest observations about what was once WAS my favorite coffee shop/bar in West Hollywood: THE ABBEY.
Last Friday, after parking my car several blocks away, I began walking up Robertson Blvd. towards the Abbey. I was immediately overwhelmed by the stench of raw sewage. I recognized the stench as that same smell that wafts out of the sewer grate inside the Abbey on those evenings when the restrooms are getting a lot of use. I noticed a steady stream of liquid running down the gutter along the east side of Robertson Blvd. that was emitting the odor. I followed the liquid north to the pipe in front of the Abbey. Many people were overcome and gagging out loud over the stench. Great way to start the evening.
Then I went into the Abbey and ordered the usual drink. Since selling out a majority holding in the Abbey in 2006, David Cooley has lost his beautiful business to corporate greed. Drink prices have continued to rise the past few months to the point where a single shot of liquor with ice and a mixer is an average of $11, a martini is $12-14 depending on bartender. I usually like a little more mixer so I don't taste the liquor as much - so I order a taller glass which contains more ice and mixer. The latest greed tactic: $2 up charge for the tall glass. Now my drink is an average of $13. (Don't even ask about the small plastic glasses during Gay Pride which cost more and have less in them!)
Customer service levels are well below what you expect to find for a coffee shop/bar/club that touts itself as such a Gay friendly WeHo destination. I sat with a small group of friends and we visited about our work weeks over a few cocktails and later asked for our bill. When we pointed out to the waiter that we had been over-billed for one drink and another was "up charged" twice for the tall glass - we were met with a rude, accusatory and down right mean attitude-filled tirade from the waiter who stated that "people do this all the time, trying to rip us off". Well I hardly think the Abbey is being ripped off by its patrons - Armored cars routinely visit the Abbey now, you figure it out.
A manager type came over at my request only to offer an $8 credit rather than remove the $14 worth of overcharges. After much debate and argument he relented and removed a whole $11 from our bill. Everyone in our group was astonished. We have been around long enough to watch the Abbey grow from a small shop to large bar and food business. Perhaps too big, too fast.
What once was a wonderful, neighborhood oriented, fun, relaxing coffee shop and bar has finally turned into the trendy, pretentious, snobby Hollywood hotspot that belongs more up on the Sunset Strip than down on a side street in West Hollywood.
It truly is not your "neighborhood" bar anymore! My and my friends all long for what used to be with less attitude and reasonable drink/food prices. P.S. for what people pay while there, you would think they could fix that sewage thing too!