Like many people, I was saddened to hear of the final closing of Eau Claire’s long-running and only dinner theater, Fanny Hill. The place had its ups and downs in the headlines over the last couple of years, but it sounds like this time it’s really closing – fully and finally. I won’t pretend to know the backstory of exactly why, but it’s still fair to say it’s a loss the community. The place was unique to be sure. By day it was a somewhat quirky little Victorian bed and breakfast perched high above the Chippewa River on Eau Claire’s southwest side, and by night it was the region’s only offering for live dinner theater. I’m embarrassed to say I may have been part of the problem, as I somehow never made it to a show there despite visiting many times for brunch in recent years. But to me, the place lives on most vividly in my memories of childhood. At Christmastime throughout the ’80s, my family and I would visit when it was dramatically adorned with detailed decorations, trains, elves, and a real Santa. I have no idea if I’m remembering it correctly, but in my head it was pretty epic for a little kid. Now, with this final closing, in one swoop we lose Eau Claire’s only remaining bed and breakfast along with its only dinner theater. I don’t have the space to pontificate about what that means exactly, but it’s clear to see it’s not a good thing. However, a community evolves, and I suppose only time will tell what it really means. Maybe those needs, or at least related ones, could be filled better elsewhere. But the Fanny Hill site, with its gorgeous view and a relatively remote wooded location, could still have some life with an entirely new plan or new ownership. Let’s hope for the best.