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It’s then end of an era — Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz are closing their bar, Schwartz & Sandy’s.
“With a heavy heart, we’ve made the difficult decision to close Schwartz & Sandy’s at the end of December,” Sandoval, 42, announced via an Instagram statement on Monday, November 25. “This hasn’t been an easy choice for my partners and me, but other priorities and commitments have taken hold.”
He called the business venture “an incredible steppingstone” that he will “always cherish,” but explained, “I look forward to exciting new endeavors.”
Sandoval gave Schwartz & Sandy’s “incredible staff” a shout-out as well. “You deserve the true recognition. I can’t thank you enough for your endless commitment to making Schwartz & Sandy’s a place of everlasting memories,” he continued.
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The Vanderpump Rules star noted that the Los Angeles eatery will continue to host “a series of events and have availability” leading up to their closing night.
“The allure of being ᴀssociated with reality TV has hidden what is an amazing spot and location for L.A. locals as well,” Sandoval concluded. “I highly recommend you check us out, especially if you haven’t yet. Let’s get together one last time.”
Schwartz, 42, shared his own statement on Monday, calling the last month of Schwartz & Sandy’s their “farewell tour.”
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Many Vanderpump Rules viewers have wondered whether Tom Sandoval‘s affair with Rachel “Raquel” Leviss affected his stake in TomTom and Schwartz & Sandy’s. Before his personal life blew up on a nationwide scale, Sandoval and Tom Schwartz partnered up with Lisa Vanderpump and her husband, Ken Todd, on TomTom. The restaurant, which opened its doors […]
“It’s a celebration so many of us working here have poured our hearts into over the last few years,” he wrote via Instagram. “Let’s end this era on a high note and com on by, bring your friends, toast to the upcoming holidays and let’s manifest together a kick ᴀss New Year.”
Schwartz noted that he has “some peace in knowing I have my absolute all into S&S.” He then thanked all the patrons who came out and shared their “magic” with the bar’s team.
Schwartz & Sandy’s is the pair’s second restaurant venture together. They initially teamed up with Lisa Vanderpump and her husband, Ken Todd, to open TomTom in April 2018.
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Following TomTom’s success, Schwartz and Sandoval chose to venture out on their own. After a series of setbacks, the reality stars opened their doors in November 2022. (The drama was captured on VPR, and played a part in Schwartz’s split from wife Katie Maloney in March 2022.)
The struggle for the second establishment was in part due to Sandoval’s personal life. News broke in March 2023 that Sandoval had an affair with Rachel “Raquel” Leviss during his nine-year relationship with Ariana Madix.
The cheating scandal brought negative press to all of Sandoval’s business ventures, but Schwartz & Sandy’s took the biggest hit. (Bravo fans slammed Sandoval for his infidelity by leaving negative reviews about the restaurant.)
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“In light of the recent news we appreciate the many words of support but we also understand the outpouring of outrage that has been directed towards our businesses,” a statement read via the Schwartz & Sandy’s Instagram account in March 2023. “However, those of us who are not famous have dedicated our time, hearts and money to make this restaurant a reality.”
The West Hollywood H๏τspot urged fans not to take out their frustrations on Yelp. “We too are disappointed by the current situation as Ariana has always been a good friend and a great supporter of the restaurant,” the post continued. “We appreciate that you may feel a certain way but please understand that the livelihoods of others also depend on this business. There are four more people involved in this venture other than just Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz.”
In January, Schwartz revealed that Sandoval had taken “a step back” after the backlash. “He’s been mostly a silent partner,” Schwartz said on an episode of “The Viall Files.”
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Speaking out. Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval released a statement after his affair with Raquel Leviss and subsequent split from Ariana Madix made headlines. “Hey, I fully understand an deserve ur anger & disappointment towards me, but please leave Schwartz, my friends and family out of this situation … Schwartz specifically only found out about […]
Schwartz also opened up about the stress Sandoval’s scandal brought on their business during an episode of VPR.
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“We really had it bad. We all had to clean Tom’s mess. He has severely tainted the brand name,” Schwartz told Vanderpump, 64, on the episode that aired in February but filmed in summer 2023 noting that their business partners banned Sandoval from the bar for some time. “My partners don’t want to work with him. He is like an absentee partner — these are their words.”
In the months that followed, Sandoval appeared to be more involved at Schwartz & Sandy’s. While he started to pop up every now and then at the restaurant, Schwartz remained the face of the business.
Last month, Schwartz hosted a party at the bar in honor of his birthday after hosting VPR rewatch parties all summer.
