according to posts on FB and
Reddit, Joe Englert has passed away.
DC's long-time bar starter/owner has apparently passed away. If you were here in the 80s and 90s you definitely had been to one of his places: Crow Bar, 15 Minutes, Insect Club, State of the Union, Big Hunt, Penn Ave Pourhouse, Planet Fred, and many many others. His places were usually kitschy and never pricey or pretentious. He was one of the people who invested early in H Street opening Rock n Roll Hotel, Red & the Black/Palace of Wonders, H Street Country Club, the Pug, and a few more.
Here's a 2012 Washingtonian profile describing him as "life of the party". I met him a handful of times, he was a really interesting guy and will be missed.
edit: confirmation from The Washingtonian:
The Joe Englert I KnewA lifelong friend remembers the one-time king of DC's bar scene.
