Tavern at Bridge Street

(Photo courtesy of WHNT)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Despite being located in a high-traffic area near Monaco Pictures, The Tavern at Bridge Street has shut its doors at the 6-year-old mixed-use regional shopping center.

Founded in March 2012, The Tavern operated in a space formerly occupied by SmokeHouse, which closed in 2011. Modeled after the Tavern On the Summit in Birmingham, the Huntsville restaurant offered traditional American food, craft beer and an indoor/outdoor bar area.

Attempts to reach The Tavern at Bridge Street on Wednesday evening for more information were unsuccessful, but a voicemail greeting on the restaurant's business line confirmed the closure.

"We regret to inform you that we are closed for business," the message said. "We thank you for your patronage."

The Tavern is one of several businesses to close at Bridge Street during the last few months. In early June, Tommy's Pizza shut its Bridge Street location down after five years at the shopping center. Watercress, Heritage Club and Pinz all closed at Bridge Street this past spring after owing thousands of dollars in personal property taxes to Madison County.

Heritage Club, a once popular lunch and dinner club, has paid back $2,145.89 in taxes and late fees. Since equipment has been abandoned at Watercress and Pinz, Madison County Tax Collector Lynda Hall said the county will confirm there are no liens on the items before seizing the property for public auction. A date and location for the auction have not been announced.

Although several businesses have closed at Bridge Street this year, officials have recently welcomed new developments to the open-air shopping center.

Alumni Hall, a college sportswear and novelty store, held its grand opening last week, and denim retailer Buckle opened its second Huntsville location at Bridge Street in July. Bar Louie, a new-to-Alabama bar and restaurant, opened two months ago in a 6,000-square-foot space.

Rejuvenation Nail Spa, formerly SoHo Nails Salon, moved to Bridge Street's power center last month between Mattress Firm and Panera Bread. Construction began in early August at It'Sugar, a first to Alabama store, to prepare for a fall opening next to H&M.

Crews also plan to begin construction on the new $20 million, two-level Belk store at Bridge Street in October. The new department store will replace the location at Madison Square Mall when it opens in fall 2014.

Send Lucy Berry an email at lberry@al.com.