Parting Shots
2 veteran bars in Fort Worth close their doors for good
Not one but two longtime bars in Fort Worth are down: Baker Street Pub & Grill closed abruptly on December 4, while The Aardvark will close after the New Year.
News of the Baker Street Pub & Grill closure was relayed via a post on Facebook that laid some of the blame on Hurricane Harvey.
"Due to economic impacts this past year and recent Hurricane Harvey, we regretfully have made the difficult decision to close Baker St Pub & Grill Fort Worth's doors effective today," the post says. "We would like to thank all of our former and current employees, patrons and bands that made this place amazing."
The mention of the hurricane seems odd — until you factor in the news that two locations in the Houston area closed simultaneously, both of which posted identical messages.
The closure follows another by Baker Street's sibling Sherlock's Baker St. Pub, which shut down its location in Arlington in November, citing a lull in business and issues with parking.
A Sherlock's in Addison is still open, as is sibling concept British Beverage Co. at the Quadrangle in Uptown Dallas. A staffer from BBC said that the pub would remain open, stating, "We're still here."
The Aardvark on Berry Street is closing February 1, 2018, when owner Danny Weaver will hand over the keys to Christ Chapel, an Arlington Heights church that has been holding services at the Aardvark on Sundays for the past eight years.
Weaver points to the big increase in bars in the West 7th district as a factor, and also wants to spend more time with his kids. He'll transition into the energy business, working as a distributor for Green Panel Energy, which provides clean energy to bars and restaurants.
The Aardvark opened in 1995, taking over a space that had previously been the Rail, but before that was, for decades, The HOP. Weaver fashioned the Aardvark as a great bar hosting live music.
In September, he invested in a barbecue side venture called Texas Slim's BBQ, installing a sit-down restaurant inside the bar serving brisket, pork chops, and smoked ribeye. Texas Slim's marked its final day on December 4.
The club has booked a number of musicians such as John Price and Green River Ordinance, and will unveil more shows in January, leading up to the February 1 closing date.
