When the owner of Gramps announced in late August that the Wynwood location would be closing permanently, our first reaction was that sucks. But also, not the end of the world. Still had months. Plus, logically, Gramps wasn’t really going away. There’s already Gramps Getaway in Key Biscayne, which is dope, on the water, and doing its own thing. I also remembered hearing about plans for a purpose-built venue in Little River, plus some talk of a smaller hub along the river. Not entirely sure what happened with those projects.
But still, Las Rosas had reopened. Churchill’s came back. The ecosystem would survive.
But as December crept in and the end of the year approached, something shifted.
Our algorithms. The gravity. Whatever you want to call it. We kept getting pulled back to Gramps. Event flyers, photos, dope events, memories. And suddenly it clicked.
Losing Gramps is a big deal.
It’s not just another bar closing. Gramps is, in many ways, the brain of Miami’s counterculture. And the brain matters. The cerebrum handles thinking, language, movement. Gramps is that part of Miami. Losing it feels, honestly, like a cultural lobotomy.
This is where the cool kids hung out and the smart events occurred.
The Key Biscayne location isn’t the same. It’s a different neighborhood. A different vibe. Nobody wants to drive out there late at night. Wynwood is central.
Gramps History
Gramps first opened during Art Basel in 2012. So even though it feels like it’s been here forever, it’s only been 13 years, which is still a long time.
Back in 2013, our New Times colleague Jose Duran interviewed Gramps owner Adam Gersten, who talked about his vision for Gramps, which, ironically, wasn’t crystal clear at the time. They had no idea what their niche would be. Mind you, in early 2013, Miami was a very different city. The Electric Pickle was still open. Caffeina. Bardot. Wood Tavern. Grand Central. O Cinema was still in Wynwood. The Wynwood Yard. Gab Gallery. Lester’s. The Room. Purdy Lounge was still open. Plus Churchill’s and The Corner.
So Gramps was tiny in context compared to the sheer number of venues operating near the city center back then.
I first wrote about Gramps in 2014 for Huffington Post, I called it our brain back then: “with the closing of Lester’s, Gramps is the logical spot to fill the void of a venue that provided the neighborhood its brain….Gramps will likely become the new brain of our corridor.”
Gramps worked because it had three distinct rooms: the railroad bar inside, the big outdoor courtyard, and the intimate back room, Shirley’s. Three spaces. Three moods. Infinite combinations. Miami will reinvent itself. It always does. New venues will rise. Others will grow and evolve. But this one hurts. So go. Show up.
Closing Day is Sunday, January 4th — perfect thing to do after the King Mango Strut parade. Say goodbye. Because Wynwood is losing its brain.
We’ll miss you, Gramps.
Rest in pizza.
