Business & Tech

Foxy's Closes as Owner Takes His Chances in Vegas

Foxy's Bar owner Andy Lanza closed the business in order to make the move to Las Vegas, starting "a new chapter" that has long been his dream. The bar space is now empty, but Lanza says there has been interest in the location.

Looking back at his nearly nine years as business owner of Foxy's Bar in downtown Port Washington, Andy Lanza said he most cherishes the "big moment" celebrations and all the relationships that started and blossomed at the bar.

The bar saw its final "last call" over the last weekend in September. Lanza said several customers came to him before the closing, recounting memories of 21st birthday celebrations, bachelor and bachelorette parties or about how they met their now wife or husband while out at the bar.

"Those are pretty cool, to sit back and see that (happened) … because of (Foxy's)," Lanza said. The decision to close the bar simply came because Lanza was ready to do something new.

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"I was just kind of ready to start a new chapter in my life, I’ve been there for almost 9 years — I’m just ready to do something else," he said. Lanza, a Port native, said he has always wanted to move to Las Vegas and join the night club scene there.

"That’s kind of where I alwys wanted to end up — I just always knew it was like the bar capital of the world," Lanza said.

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He's visited the city many times, and has a lot of friends out there — so it just felt like it was time, he said. His options include to work either as manager of the beverage department for a casino, or get involved in the night clubs as a sales and marketing manager.

Lanza rented the Foxy's location, and the building's owners are now looking for a new tenant, he said — adding there has been a good amount of interest. Lanza's bar equipment would be available to purchase if a prospective tenant wished to open a bar — but whether that bar took on a similar or completely different atmosphere than Foxy's is hard to say.

"Its pretty much turnkey as it is … and then they would just do as they want," Lanza said.

Lanza said the bar's final weekend was overwhelming, with plenty of heartfelt goodbyes.

"Thank you to the staff and all the customers over the years, all the local support," he said. "And, I definitely want to thank the Port police — we had a great relationship, they were really good with me."


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