GREEN BAY, Wis. (NBC 26) -- For Paul Besson, it was a sad day.
That was the first thought that came to the Green Bay native's mind when he found out one of his favorite spots of nearly 25 years is leaving town.
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"It's a staple for Wisconsin," Besson said. "A supper club is what I grew up knowing."
Wally's Spot supper club on the East Side of Green Bay is shutting its doors after 78 years. On Tuesday, the City Council approved a new Popeye's as its replacement.
JUST IN: A new Popeye's will replace the 78-year-old Wally's Spot supper club in Green Bay.https://t.co/orkfb2KMsp
— Ben Bokun (@ben_bokun) June 30, 2021
"It's still a sad day to know that there's another supper club gone," Besson said.
Wally's Spot wasn't listed for sale, but owner Tom Adamany says Popeye's showed interest in his property back in December.
"They approached us and I thought about the situation and I say my children are out of town and I'm getting older," Adamany said. "So maybe it's just time."
And for Adamany, it's been a good run. He says there were nearly 20 supper clubs near his original downtown location.
"Eventually [those supper clubs] all just went away," he said. "And thank goodness we were able to hang in there."
From Packers players to the community to his staff, the owner is grateful for what Green Bay has done for his family.
"The restaurant educated all of us and I've got two children," Adamany said. "The restaurant educated those two kids, so the city has been very good to us."
Wally's Spot will close at the end of July, but Adamany says there's a chance his restaurant's legacy will live on with another supper club in its honor.
"My employees are talking about [opening one], but we'll have to wait and see what happens there," he said.
There's no word when the new Popeye's will open.
