The music club and bar—d.b.a. New Orleans, located at 618 Frenchmen—has been sold after 23 years by owner Tom Thayer to a local group of Frenchmen Street venue operators: Sophie Lee Lowry (musician and owner of Three Muses); and Cheryl Abaña, Bradley Clement and Doug Emmer (The Spotted Cat). Lowry and Thayer are renowned in New Orleans for treating musicians well and both have been awarded a Best of The Beat Music Business Award for Best Clubowner in the past.

Thayer attempted to sell the building and business just prior to the onset of the COVID shutdown around Mardi Gras 2020, but the pandemic shutdown squelched that effort. Thayer says he was approached by several people who wanted to purchase the property that housed the club, but he waited until business had once again picked up on a  regular basis—the 2023 summer season was a particularly difficult one for d.b.a. (and other music venues and bars with music). D.b.a. is one of the few venues on Frenchmen that charges a cover for entry at shows (along with Snug Harbor, Three Muses, the Spotted Cat and the Blue Nile and a few others).d.b.a. New Orleans sold

A triad of local women—Lowry, Abaña and musician/vocalist Meschiya Lake, wanted to buy the business as a 100% woman-owned entity, but could not acquire financing for the deal.  A new operating group consisting of Lowry, Abaña, Clement and Emmer (Abaña and Clement operate the Spotted Cat and Emmer is a co-owner) joined forces to create a group that has purchased d.b.a. The building at 618 Frenchmen Street was acquired by an investor friend of Emmer who will lease the property back to d.b.a.’s new operating group. Reportedly, the new group will also be able to operate as a minority, woman-owned business.

There’s a party this evening (Wednesday, November 15) featuring Khris Royal at the venue where the public is invited to celebrate the continuation of d.b.a.’s great musical traditions continuing into the future. New Orleans that takes place at 8:30 p.m.

“We are honored to be the custodians of such a revered establishment. Our goal is to uphold the traditions that make d.b.a. special while infusing new energy and creativity to elevate the overall experience for our patrons. We want to help cultivate and push forward the New Orleans music scene,” said Cheryl Abaña. As part of the acquisition, the new ownership group plans to implement enhancements to the music club’s offerings, including refreshing the menu, introducing innovative events and maintaining a commitment to showcasing live music—a vital element of the New Orleans cultural experience. 

Thayer also said “When my partners and I visited New Orleans during Jazz Fest, we fell in love with the city, its music, community and culture. We found a beautiful building in a fringe locals’ neighborhood called the Marigny Triangle, and opened d.b.a. in April of 2000. Over the past 23 years, it has been an honor to showcase the finest local and regional acts, and to be embraced by the New Orleans community. I am excited and confident to be passing the torch to a like-minded group who I trust will carry forward the d.b.a. legacy.” With the swift transition to new ownership, d.b.a. assures its future patrons that the establishment will undergo a seamless change, with no closure or interruption in service.

For more information visit the club’s website.

d.b.a. New Orleans sold

d.b.a. New Orleans sold