Schwartz and Sandy’s Is Closing: RIP, Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval’s Bar

Turns out, Lisa Vanderpump may have had the magic sauce, or was less affected by Scandoval: Schwartz and Sandy’s is shutting down.

Vanderpump Rules stars Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval are shuttering their cocktail lounge, which was supposed to be their breakout from under the Vanderpump empire of properties. (TomTom, the bar they founded alongside Lisa, is doing fine.)

“Unfortunately, the current climate for this business is pretty rough,” Schwartz told People. “Recovering from all the negativity post-scandal wasn’t easy, and the slimmer margins post-COVID made it even harder to bounce back. There’s not a lot of room for error in the restaurant/bar business.”

He added, “In retrospect, maybe we should have closed earlier, but we had so much faith in this bar,” admitting that trading on his and his cofounder’s fame backfired when he cheated on his girlfriend, Ariana Madix, with her friend Raquel/Rachel Leviss. “Tom and I learned the hard way about the pitfalls of having your name on the building. It comes with immense responsibility, and your personal life directly reflects on your business and your partners. It’s a double-edged sword for a public figure.”

Schwartz also posted a tribute to the venture on Instagram, including pictures and videos from the bar’s better days, as well as a touching clip of Cheers bartender Sam Malone (Ted Danson) closing up for the last time in the TV show’s finale.