Vintage Spirits & Grill announced Wednesday on Instagram the establishment will remain open indefinitely after Madison developer The Carey Group decided not to move forward with a multistory luxury apartment project.
Vintage was scheduled to close in May 2025 after 22 years of business to make way for the construction of a 33-unit luxury apartment building at 529 University Ave, a site flagged for higher density in the city of Madison’s latest downtown plan.
Marissa Haegele, Vintage general manager, said she was initially devastated by the impending closure but decided to hold onto the campus-area tavern while she could.
“It was heartbreaking and took me quite a few days to process,” Haegele said. “I think everyone [on staff] knew that they would stick around until the end, but we didn't want to lose this place that we all call home.”
Members of the greater Madison community shared similar sentiments, leading to widespread outrage on social media and the creation of a Change.org petition in July calling to save Vintage due to its historical significance, economic impact and philanthropic contributions.The petition received more than 5,000 signatures.
Kevin Carey of The Carey Group personally removed the demolition signs and shared the news with Vintage on Wednesday, according to Haegele.
According to Haegele, Carey said he decided not to move forward with the project due to the support Vintage received and other financial factors.
“It didn't seem like it was the right fit and the right project or the space and time,” Haegele said.
Carey did not respond to a request for comment.
Students, leaders celebrate the news
University of Wisconsin-Madison junior Danielle Anderson was happy to hear the news through social media while studying abroad in Copenhagen.
“[This is] the best news I’ve received all year,” Anderson said. “Some of my most favorite memories of college have been on the Vintage patio, and I was heartbroken [at] the thought of it leaving too soon.”
Anderson was one of many students relieved to hear Vintage will remain open. UW-Madison senior Natalie Meath said Vintage was the spot of one of her earliest college experiences.
“Vintage was the first restaurant I ever went to in Madison,” Meath said. “I went there with my parents after we moved my stuff into Sellery freshman year.”
For Meath, Madison’s appeal lies in the atmosphere and sense of community found at local businesses.
“People come to UW-Madison because of the atmosphere and small businesses that make it feel like home. It would be heartbreaking to see another favorite bar or restaurant be bought out,” Meath said. “Madison’s charm is its small businesses. Without them, people wouldn’t want to live here [and] it wouldn’t feel like home.”
District 8 Alder MGR Govindarajan, who represents much of the UW-Madison area on Madison’s Common Council, joined Madison residents in celebrating Vintage’s continued operation.
“Vintage is a centerpiece that defines Madison’s culture, and I’m thrilled that it’s staying where it belongs,” Govindarajan said. “The proposed development was to demolish it and replace it with high-end luxury housing, which is not what students want or need.”
Govindarajan said the decision further proves the need for affordable housing in Madison.
“This decision sends the message that as much as we need housing in Madison, we also need to maintain the pieces that make us who we are,” Govindarajan said.
Haegele agreed with Govindarajan, adding that Vintage employees support continued development in Madison despite excitement about The Carey Group’s project not moving forward.
“We are not against progress. We really want housing, we want affordable housing. That's important to me,” Haegele said. “I've been living in the city for 10-11 years now, and the owners, Brittany and Trent, are from the area, so we all care about growth. But this specific location just didn't make sense for many people.”
Haegele credited the Madison community for its role in preserving Vintage.
“We want to say thank you to everybody, and I hope people see that backing their favorite businesses does make an impact,” Haegele said. “The fact that the community was able to save Vintage, in a way, was pretty insane.”
