A popular live-music venue on Cook Street announced Tuesday that it has closed its doors for good.
In a statement on its Facebook page, Logan’s Pub cited the potential threat of more regulations or closures due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases as one of the reasons for the shutdown. With capacity limited due to provincial health regulations, the live music model is “no longer viable,” the statement said.
Logan’s Pub, at 1821 Cook St., was a popular spot for locals and showcased several kinds of music most nights of the week, from punk to country. Several bands played Logan’s before they became famous, including Death Cab For Cutie, The Weakerthans and Japandroids. It had a 150-person capacity, but pandemic regulations cut that to 50.
The venue opened in 1984 as Thursdays, and was later sold to brothers Chris, John and Stuart Logan, who renamed it Logan’s Pub in the late 1990s.
Stuart Logan is the only brother who currently has an ownership stake in the venue. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Independent live music accounted for the majority of the pub’s revenue. “As a pub, we don’t have a large patio like other bars and a [maximum] of 50 people is a tough go, considering the overheads to operate,” Logan’s operators said in a Facebook post this summer. The hope was that pandemic protocols would eventually ease, allowing the business to recover following its closure in March.
“We have hung on unopened as long as we could,” the statement said, “trying to cover our overheads in hopes this would change.” The idea of reopening without live music was considered, but deemed too costly.
“Therefore, it is with huge regret and profound sadness that we announce the permanent closing of Logan’s Pub.”
mdevlin@timescolonist.com
