Crews tear down historic Café at Adele's building in Carson City

CARSON CITY, Nev. — The historic building long known as Café at Adele's is no more.

Frank Lepori Construction Inc., the contractor working on the expansion of the Chevron gas station next door, secured a demolition permit on April 21, and by 9:30 a.m. the next morning, the original section of the 155-year-old building was in a heap.

Work continued on the newer addition on the back, which would be torn down soon after.

Café at Adele's celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2018, the same year the owners, Charlie and Karen Abowd, decided to retire and put the property on the market. A year later, a fire in the building's laundry room caused about $1.5 million in damage.

The Abowds could not come to an agreement with their insurance provider to cover more than $1 million in rehab costs so eventually they sold the building and the land to its neighbor.

The Carson City Historical Society took charge of efforts to save the building, fundraising to cover the costs of moving the structure and relocating it, but no one came forward with a viable plan to save it before the April deadline set by the new owners.

The restaurant and bar was a popular spot for legislators during Nevada's legislative sessions.

“Adele's has been an iconic landmark and restaurant in our community for almost as long as I can remember,” said Mayor Bob Crowell when it was announced the Abowds plans to retire.“During legislative sessions it is a favorite hangout for lobbyists and their clients as well as legislators who are looking for a comfortable place to unwind and eat some tremendous food.

"Indeed, many would say that if one wanted to know what was really happening in the legislative arena, a stop at Adele's would be almost de rigueur.”