What is going on with Sullivan’s Cove at One Loudoun? That’s our latest patented Morning Mystery here at The Burn.
The restaurant and bar located next to the Barnes & Noble bookstore has reportedly been closed for some time now.
“For a few weeks now, it has been completely abandoned. Doors are locked, but lights are left on 24/7. There are even still a couple drinks on the bar,” reader Teresa Spinelli wrote us in an email. “My family lives in One Loudoun so we walk by every once in a while, and nothing inside has appeared to move since the doors were originally locked a few weeks ago.”
The Burn has heard similar stories from multiple readers and passers-by who have found the doors locked during normal business hours.
We reached out to the owner of Sullivan’s Cove — which also has a location in Severna Park, Md. — but received no response. When we tried calling the phone number for Sullivan’s Cove at One Loudoun, it was not in service.
We also called the Severna Park location. The employee who answered the phone said he wasn’t sure what was happening with the Ashburn location.
The management at One Loudoun told us they didn’t have any updates to share related to Sullivan’s Cove.
The restaurant has had a challenging history at One Loudoun. It was originally a World of Beer location, part of a national chain known for its large beer selection and popular for its trivia nights each week.
In 2019, the space changed from a World of Beer to a restaurant called Jefferson Ale House. But we heard that this concept ran afoul of the lease with One Loudoun. Finally, it was changed to Sullivan’s Cove in 2021.
Bottom line — it’s likely that one of two things has happened. Either Sullivan’s Cove has closed permanently and just not told anyone. Or it’s closed temporarily due to some unnamed problem — illness, equipment issues, finances, staffing — and it plans to reopen.
The lack of a note on the door alerting diners or any clarification on social media is the unusual part.