A popular bar lounge in Norwood had its final hurrah the weekend of June 9, closing its doors after its restaurateur couldn’t agree on a lease renewal deal with the building’s owner.

Gino Pacheco, owner of Beso Lounge, said the nighttime bar underwent renovations for three years and had been promised a lease for five more years. Despite a new owner buying the building for more money, Pacheco negotiated the lease in hopes for a similar lease deal he had when he first opened the business.

The lounge’s original rent was $3,000 and the new building owner doubled the rent to $6,000 after the building owner noticed the eatery’s success.

“We agreed,” Pacheco, 35, said of the new rent charge. “We were making business.”

But the building owner had stopped accepting rent, which ultimately led to the lounge’s closing, according to Pacheco.

Located at 320 E. 204th St. near the corner of Hull Avenue, Beso (Spanish for “kiss”) Lounge celebrated seven years in business. Guests shared their special moments with Open Mic Night on June 8 at the establishment.

A late May post on the lounge’s Facebook page thanked customers for their “loyalty and support throughout the last seven years.”

From the time it first opened, Beso Lounge positioned itself as a staple in the community and supporter of causes. In February, the lounge hosted an auction for singles in support of autism research. “I see all the single people complain that they’re single — so here’s their chance to catch a date and help people at the same time,” Pacheco said about the event in a New York Daily News article published afterwards.

The lounge also participated in Summer Streets, or Weekend Walks, the city’s push to integrate communities and local businesses through a block party-style gathering.

Anthony Rivieccio, 54, has been living in the Bedford Park area for 40 years. As the founder of the Northwest Bronx Democrats, a local political group, Rivieccio said he was involved with the opening of Beso Lounge, serving as a member of the East 204th Street & Bainbridge Avenue Merchants Association, a merchant organizing group.

“I was surprised it closed for the reasons it did,” Rivieccio said. “It’s affecting our whole Bronx strip in the same way [it is] in the Kingsbridge area with the [Kingsbridge] armory.”

Brenda Caldwell-Paris, president of the 52nd Precinct Community Council, said Beso Lounge has sponsored the council’s annual Fellowship Recognition Breakfast and Open House in the past. The council had held Christmas parties every year at the lounge.

“My daughter had a birthday party there,” Caldwell-Paris said. “It’s always a friendly environment. It’s always a safe environment.”

Pacheco also co-owns Lexa Bar & Garden with Eli Garcia. It is located at 357 E. 204th St., diagonally across from Beso Lounge. “I opened Lexa to create an environment that wasn’t so upbeat,” Pacheco said. “[It’s] more of a chill vibe.” Pacheco said if another opportunity arose to open a bar or restaurant, he would seize it. He and Garcia have already scouted a site for another eatery on Broadway, lobbying local Community Board 8 in Riverdale for approval, according to sources.

Pacheco and Garcia plan to remain part of the neighborhood merchants association, where Garcia serves as president.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.