In the wake of multiple local music venues closing their doors this year, Mortimer's is looking to fill the gap. They are debuting their new music room with a show on Dec. 27 featuring locals LIKEHELL, Iguano, Trim Reaper, and DJ RichmanVA.

Nightingale co-owners Jasha Johnston and Carrie McCabe-Johnston took ownership of Mortimer's back in June, and set out to add a live music room. McCabe-Johnston told the Growler they had the closing of local venues like Dulono's in mind when they decided to bring music to Franklin and Lyndale.

“We are just looking to bring live entertainment to the neighborhood,” she said. “To be a home for the local musicians who have recently lost venues where they performed.”

They're also updating the menu, and slapped on a nice new coat of paint. If it weren't for the iconic cigar-chomping mascot on the bar's vintage sign, you'd hardly recognize the place any more — at least, from the outside.