Jersey Mike’s Subs Opening on Wednesday at Old Normandie Inn Site in Bohemia, Once Served as a Speakeasy
A Jersey Mike’s Subs is opening this week in Bohemia on the property that was a former inn and once served as a speakeasy during Prohibition.
Built in the 1920s by a Czech baron as his residence, the building at 1500 Smithtown Boulevard had a storied past. It was once an actual inn called Hotel Chateau La Boheme, became a speakeasy during Prohibition, and then the Normandie Inn restaurant until it closed down. At one point after it closed in 2004, the owners of an interior design business bought the building for $525,000 and spent money trying to renovate it but to no avail. The building remained vacant for 20 years until a development group came in and bought the property in 2020, according to an article in The Real Deal.
“The owners intend to keep as much of the gothic styling as possible, despite the rumored ghost of a woman killed there haunting the halls,” the article said.
The new owners told the publication they would spend $1 million to renovate the building but during construction the building collapsed and had to be rebuilt. The owners kept the gothic stylings and the new building reflects as much as possible the original structure.
They ended up spending $1.7 million, according to a report in Long Island Business News.
A call to the store confirmed the grand opening will be on Wednesday, February 14th.
📷 Original building at 1500 Smithtown Boulevard in Bohemia. Google Maps.
