The Black Labrador is the signature tenant at 4100 Montrose Blvd., also known as The Campanile. In 1986, developer John Hansen bought the former Central Church of Christ and renovated the sanctuary into a library (Houston Public Library’s Eleanor Freed-Montrose Neighborhood branch), and the fellowship hall into offices and commercial space, now home to Kraftsmen Bakery, Cezanne’s jazz club, and the British pub and restaurant The Black Labrador.
On February 23, 2007, The Houston Business Journal reported the sale of the property including the two adjacent office buildings John Hansen Investment Builder (now Hansen Partners) to The University of St. Thomas. Jim Booth, Vice President for Finance at St. Thomas, stated, "We'll continue to lease the property and use the cash flow to pay off our debt.” What does this mean for tenants of The Campanile? While the Houston Public Library is safe, other tenants do not have the same agreements. Booth would not comment on whether The Black Lab will eventually be evicted, "That's way down the road at this point," Hansen’s group will continue to manage The Black Lab for now. Hansen Partners’ John Andell has confirmed to Amnesia Houston, “Yes, we have sold the buildings to the University of St. Thomas…. HOWEVER, before we did, I signed the restaurant up for a LONG term lease. The university appreciates how the pub has been such an integral part of the neighborhood and the student body, and would like The Black Lab to keep on serving up their Bass Ale pints for years to come.”
http://www.jhib.com/properties/4100.htm
http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/Building/2060/Campanile__The.php
http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2007/02/26/story2.html?t=printable
http://blacklabradorpub.com/
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The Black Lab has a special place in my memory and I'm sure in many other's. It's where great lunches, after-work drinks and diners were had. It's where the loss of big accounts (Compaq) were "waked." It's where I hired one of their waiters as a copywriter. It's where my company, Ogilvy, (alas in Houston no more) sent me off to Chicago with a great send off. A very special old English Pub in the middle of Montrose that will always have a place in my memory...and hopefully a special place in other folks future. Here's hoping it not only survives, but thrives.
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