As Blackies grew, the café, and then the nightclub, gained enough popularity to become their own sites. When it went from café to club, the name Lulu's Club Mardi Gras was adopted after owners Blackie and Lulu Auger visited New Orleans in 1963.
Nelson Gonzalez, bartender at Lulu's for the last seven years, said he is upset that his run at Lulu's is over.
"It's been so good to be here, and I'm so sad that the experience is ending," he said as he and other Lulu's employees sported T-shirts that said "Thanks Al! It's been a great ride," referring to the owner.
An out-of-towner at the club Friday said that while it was her first time at Lulu's she had a great time at the nightclub and thinks it should definitely stay.
"It's my first night down here and I came with a bunch of guys. The experience is different, but I'm still having a great time," said Andrea Masselli of New York's Le Moyne College.
Others said they were not as sad to see Lulu's go, even though they were having a good time at Friday's bash.
"I feel good, because it's a good night and because Lulu's is finally done with," GW senior Kyle Fielding said.
Some students interviewed on campus said last week that Lulu's is a staple to the GW experience - especially for freshmen's first year in the city.
"It's not a particularly amazing club, but it's definitely representative to a degree of the freshman experience," freshman Sarah Gold said. "I'm certainly sad that Lulu's is closing. It's a place where you know it will always be fun, always be crowded. Next year's class is missing out on a GW experience."
As far as future plans for Chadsey, now that Lulu's is out of his hands: "I'm going fishing," he exclaimed. "My options are wide open."
Chadsey, who owned Lulu's for 13 years, said that while he's sad to let the club go, he thought it went out with style and a first-class celebration.
He said, "It's one of the few clubs going out on a very high note."
Nelson Gonzalez, bartender at Lulu's for the last seven years, said he is upset that his run at Lulu's is over.
"It's been so good to be here, and I'm so sad that the experience is ending," he said as he and other Lulu's employees sported T-shirts that said "Thanks Al! It's been a great ride," referring to the owner.
An out-of-towner at the club Friday said that while it was her first time at Lulu's she had a great time at the nightclub and thinks it should definitely stay.
"It's my first night down here and I came with a bunch of guys. The experience is different, but I'm still having a great time," said Andrea Masselli of New York's Le Moyne College.
Others said they were not as sad to see Lulu's go, even though they were having a good time at Friday's bash.
"I feel good, because it's a good night and because Lulu's is finally done with," GW senior Kyle Fielding said.
Some students interviewed on campus said last week that Lulu's is a staple to the GW experience - especially for freshmen's first year in the city.
"It's not a particularly amazing club, but it's definitely representative to a degree of the freshman experience," freshman Sarah Gold said. "I'm certainly sad that Lulu's is closing. It's a place where you know it will always be fun, always be crowded. Next year's class is missing out on a GW experience."
As far as future plans for Chadsey, now that Lulu's is out of his hands: "I'm going fishing," he exclaimed. "My options are wide open."
Chadsey, who owned Lulu's for 13 years, said that while he's sad to let the club go, he thought it went out with style and a first-class celebration.
He said, "It's one of the few clubs going out on a very high note."
