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Fire Destroys Most of Santa Monica's Dakota Lounge
Inside the Dakota Lounge (via Dakota's website)
An early morning fire that broke out yesterday at the Dakota Lounge in Santa Monica essentially gutted the popular restaurant and music club, leaving all but the sound board and stage destroyed, reports the Santa Monica Daily Press.The fire damage was intensive; by the time firefighters arrived on scene the roof had already collapsed. Dakota Co-owner Sabrina Roark took in the devastation: "There's no roof, my entire office is gone, my laptop looks like a chewed piece of gum, my printer, everything is gone. I literally walked up stairs to my office and said, 'There goes my life.'"
Roark and Alex Fieglein purchased the space, which used to be The Temple Bar, in 2008. They were able to attract a new and renewed clientele who appreciated the atmosphere the couple created and the diverse musical acts that played the venue. Right now Dakota is scrambling to book their numerous July acts elsewhere in town, and hope to re-open possibly as soon as August. You can follow @DakotaLounge on Twitter to stay up-to-date with their progress.
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