Legendary Hamilton karaoke bar to close
Published September 2, 2020 at 4:25 pm
Hamilton’s favourite karaoke bar announced this week that they would be closing but they made clear that we shouldn’t count them out just yet.
Hamilton’s favourite karaoke bar announced this week that they would be closing but they made clear that we shouldn’t count them out just yet.
In a Facebook post, the owners of Happy Hourz Pub, at the corner of MacNab and Vine in downtown Hamilton, announced that while they tried to reopen their doors to the public when the province entered phase 3, they made the tough decision to close things back down.
“Unfortunately, given the state of the pandemic and an unpredicted future, this haven has to give in to the new reality,” the post says.
“We feel that we cannot safely move forward knowing that our bar calls upon a culture that physically brings each other close together, I mean really close.”
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The post goes on to say that while they tried to welcome back patrons for their traditional brand of fun, but with strict protocols in place that required masks, physical distancing and even touchless karaoke, they encountered unforeseen problems that arose when spirits were high.
“Even with a small party of 10, we realized once the spirit of Happy Hourz kicked in, social distancing, mask on, staying safe ultimately became an afterthought,” the post explained.
“It’s human nature.”
Happy Hourz has been a Hamilton go-to for good times for a decade. Before that, it was the home of Backstreet Bar, also a popular spot for locals to congregate and belt out classic tunes or shoot some pool for years.
The farewell post to patrons is filled with love and appreciated for Happy Hourz’s regulars, occasional patrons and staff and their sincere wishes for everyone’s safety.
“We love and care about you all,” they write. “Therefore, we do not want to be the cause of people getting sick.”
The owners emphasize in their farewell post that they won’t be counted out just yet, though.
“It is with great sadness that we have decided to cease operation at our current location and possibly start fresh somewhere else when it is safe to do so,” they wrote.
“Stay tuned. WE’LL BE BACK!”
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