Missy Lane’s Assembly Room, a prime jazz venue in Durham, closes after two years
Missy Lane’s Assembly Room has announced its closure, leaving a notable gap in Durham’s jazz and soul scene.
The venue for live music, located at 310 E. Main St., announced its decision on social media Thursday morning. The closure of Missy Lane’s marks the second popular jazz venue that downtown has lost in the last year, widening the concern for dedicated live music spaces in the Bull City.
Missy Lane’s Assembly Room opened two years ago and quickly became a prime spot for live jazz, R&B, and soul performances, offering guests a full dining, coffee and cocktail experience alongside its role as a community gathering space. The announcement comes just weeks after the venue’s nonprofit arm, Missy Lane’s Charitable Foundation, hosted the first-ever block party in downtown Durham.
The former business posted a statement thanking Durham for “making our dream of a live jazz venue come true and for every night of music, love and community.”
“This isn’t goodbye. It’s a reset. We’ll keep sharing where to find live jazz in the Triangle and ways to support,” the statement read. The charitable foundation is still expected to operate, continuing its block party and other jazz education programs.
Cicely Mitchell, the founder of Missy Lane’s Assembly Room, could not be reached for comment by The News & Observer Thursday afternoon.
The venue’s closure is acutely felt because the Triangle has few dedicated jazz venues, even though North Carolina has been home to prominent jazz figures like Max Roach, Nina Simone and John Coltrane.
While Durham has a lively jazz community spanning from the Sharp 9 Gallery to the respected music programs at N.C. Central University and Duke University, many social media users expressing support for Missy Lane’s highlighted the need for more spaces for the genre to thrive.
Last year, the Beyu Caffe closed its flagship location in downtown Durham after 14 years, citing high parking rates, construction and the impact of remote work. The café was known for coffee, tea, breakfast and lunch, and it hosted live music performances. Now, the café operates out of Raleigh-Durham International Airport.