A historic Dallas restaurant and bar is preparing to leave its home of 50 years on Maple Avenue for a new spot in Oak Lawn. The Stoneleigh P, also known as The P, is closing down its original location to move to a new address at 4218 Lemmon Ave., which used to house an Eggsellent Cafe.

The P will close for a week or two during the move, which co-owner Laura Garrison expects to happen in late April or early May. She and her father/co-owner Tom Garrison have signed a 10-year lease on the new space.

Tom founded the P in 1973 with Robert Alexander, Teresa Alexander, Alan Cahil, and Richard Windburn. Laura came on board as general manager in 2017, and she’ll take on more of an owner role in the new space.

“It’s a new beginning — we were bound to get pushed out of that spot eventually,” Laura says. “Uptown is so different now, and it just kind of outgrew us. This Oak Lawn spot is more our speed.”

The father-daughter duo was forced to find a new space for The P when their previous location was purchased by a new owner. Although it came as an unexpected change, they’ve since grown excited about the move and look forward to continuing The P’s legacy in a new neighborhood.

They’re keeping the same decor, which they’ve been gradually moving out of the old space and into the new as they prepare for the big move. That includes their signature pharmacy cabinets, which were repurposed from the Stoneleigh Pharmacy, the pharmacy that Tom converted into The Stoneleigh P by renovating the space and removing a few letters from the signage.

Loyal patrons can also expect to see the same familiar face manning the bar, as The P’s entire staff is moving with the company to the new location. The food and drinks menu (mainly burgers and beer) will also stay largely the same, with a few new food additions once they’re fully settled into the new spot.

“Absolutely everything is staying the same,” Laura says.

The Oak Lawn space is larger than the spot on Maple Avenue, with about 4,800 square feet. Most of the size difference is in the kitchen, though, and the dining area will feel about the same size, give or take a few seats.

Although they were originally daunted by relocating such a historic and well-loved bar, the company’s faithful clientele and the opportunity to start fresh have made the change doable, Laura says.

“We’re not sad anymore. Good things don’t last forever,” she says. “You’ve gotta pivot and just keep going. That’s what we’re doing.”