A prohibition-themed speakeasy in downtown Hartford will close after a final New Year’s Eve celebration tonight, with plans to reopen in 2026 under new ownership.
Melissa Melonson, founder and CEO of Lumi Hospitality, confirmed that Wednesday will mark the last night of operation for The 196 Club under her ownership. The business is hosting a large New Year’s Eve party as a final goodbye to the Hartford community.
“The entire Hartford community had given us such a warm welcome and supported us through our two years with open arms, and I am so grateful for all of the amazing memories,” Melonson said.
The 196 Club, located at 196 Trumbull St., opened in January 2024 as a hidden speakeasy tucked away in a back room of Emrey’s Specialty Sweets & Sodas, a vintage candy shop also owned by Melonson.
The sale is for the full ground-floor space of 196 Trumbull St., which includes Emrey’s.
The business is in the process of being sold and will reopen after renovations and improvements are made by the landlord and new business owner, Melonson said. She declined to disclose the identity of the new owner or specific plans for the space.
“I know it will be great to have the business live on here in downtown Hartford,” she said.
Melonson said she’s selling to focus on her core business — Lumi Hospitality, a Hartford-based boutique marketing agency specializing in hospitality and real estate — and on her children.
“It was surreal for me to be able to create such an amazing concept here in Hartford and contribute to the growing retail community downtown,” she said. “It was a true labor of love, and I am grateful I had the opportunity to create, own, and operate this concept for its first two years.”
