Bushwick’s The Well, known for its extensive beer menu, backyard parties and live performances, is closing its doors for good.
“It may come as no surprise that the insurmountable financial pressure placed upon the business due to the COVID-19 crisis has forced our hand,” a statement on The Well’s Instagram page states.
The Well has been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic since March. Months without customers and an uncertain future forced the venue to close down permanently.
“The team wanted nothing more than to party with you again when the risks were behind us and the city had fully reopened, but the future of nightlife in NYC is too uncertain for us to see a path forward,” the Instagram statement reads.
Located at 272 Meserole St., just two blocks away from the Montrose stop on the L line, The Well first opened its doors in 2012. With a selection of over 200 beers, 10 champagnes and a wall full of liquor, The Well quickly became a go-to Brooklyn watering hole.
But, The Well was never only about the booze. All-year-round, the venue hosted live music and comedy, among other performances. It’s 11,000-square-foot outdoor space served as a gathering place for anyone and everyone who wanted to swing by.
“To those who we saw regularly for a fresh beer, a rare beer, a cheap beer, stopped in before and after band practice, came to any of our massive back yard parties, came to see a friend perform music or comedy in No Vacancy, produced an event with us, had a date here, had a birthday here, came to a wedding or got married here, came to a beer festival or event, came to a can release, came to one of our brewer panels, attended a fundraiser, signed up for an open mic night, watched the Presidential debates with us, watched RuPaul here, painted a mural, stopped in to view the murals, attended our trivia nights, or just wandered in at 2 am on a Saturday for shots and to use the bathroom-thank you all for making this place so special for the last 8 years! We’re proud to have been part of such an amazing and diverse community,” the Instagram statement reads.
The Well started a GoFundMe in late March to support bartenders, security guards and other staff members, but the venue was only able to raise $2,500 of its $30,000 goal.
The Well isn’t the only venue struggling. Across Brooklyn and the entire country, local venues are shutting down. Naturally, the closure of local venues also has implications for the entire music and entertainment economy. It impacts artists, agents, managers, record companies and many others.
“As you know, the effects of the pandemic have been devastating to our industry. Sadly, we aren’t the first and won’t be the last to close our doors,” the Instagram post reads. “Please support your local small businesses however you can. They need it right now. It may take a long time, but our city will recover from this. We sincerely hope that our paths cross sooner than later.”
To support local venues during this time, check out the #SaveOurStages campaign. The campaign’s website offers a pre-written letter that supporters can send to their legislators to encourage them to support the recently introduced Save Our Stages Act, which would provide Small Business Administration grants for independent live music venue operators affected by COVID-19 stay-at-home orders.
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