Why 'blood, sweat and tears' weren't enough to keep a Butchertown bar and safe space open
"Stay golden" is the takeaway from one Louisville bar's last few days in business.
Gold Bar, a cocktail joint at the edge of Butchertown, announced in a Facebook post that it'll have its last dance on Aug. 27 after two years of small shows, DJ performances and watch parties for Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville FC soccer games.
Gold Bar occupies the space that used to be Butchertown Social at 1601 Story Ave. The neighborhood has grown in recent years, with several other popular bars, breweries and restaurants opening nearby – Gold Bar is a bit off the beaten path, co-owner Brad Magers acknowledged, but the location, on a busy intersection near a bustling freeway ramp, isn't the reason it's closing.
It boiled down to timing, Magers said – "We all know what happened in March 2020," he told The Courier Journal in a recent interview.
Gold Bar was poised to open that year around March Madness, with plans for big crowds to take in the NCAA Tournament. The onset of the coronavirus pandemic, though, disrupted plans for businesses all over the country, and the food and beverage industry was hit as hard as anyone.
Gold Bar was unable to open as planned that month, amid shutdowns of bars and restaurants across the U.S. The business finally opened that summer but was closed again for a time that winter.
Those setbacks, Magers said, and some additional expenses left Gold Bar in the hole from the start. But for all the "blood, sweat and tears" that go into opening a business, he said, "it wouldn't have made sense ... to just to scrap it."
"It was just the ultimate unknown," he added.
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While Gold Bar was popping, though, Magers said it was a great place for DJs to showcase their talent, and a welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds.
A couple of the city's up-and-coming DJs got their start at Gold Bar, including resident favorite, Dom Haley, who landed his first residency at the spot and said it served as a place for him to help create a safe space for marginalized identities.
"I always want to make Black folks, queer folks, trans folks, and just all marginalized people ... feel safe at my events," Haley said.
On the night of the Kentucky Oaks earlier this year, Haley said he threw a durag party on location exclusively for Black folks. The annual Kentucky Derby has long been viewed by some in the Black community as an event that caters to a white crowd – Louisville officials in 2006 began to crack down on "Derby cruising," which brought West End crowds out each year for a makeshift party on Broadway, and the race did not have a Black jockey compete at any point between 1922 and 1999.
"There wasn't a lot of space for Black people to enjoy being Black during Derby," Haley said. Gold Bar gave him the opportunity to provide one.
Haley said the co-owners of Gold Bar, Magers and Sam Sneed, understand the need for safe spaces, and working to create those is what he'll miss the most.
Haley isn't the only DJ to get his start at the bar, where Frankfort and Story avenues meet. Marquis Driver, a member of Louisville's The Homies rap group, recently started to spin and had his first DJ set at Gold Bar in early July.
On a good night, he said, it can get packed. "It's a good fit for someone to go in there and kind of just go ahead and get your feet wet, get started."
Driver's first set was memorable because of how kind people at the bar were, he said. Gold Bar staff and owners helped him find even more appreciation for the space, he said, along with the crowd that filled the room.
Gold Bar's closure is a loss for the community, Haley said, because it means one less safe space for marginalized folks to hang out.
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"It's just tough because all those places are getting closed down, and it's getting harder and harder to do that," Haley added.
Still, Magers expressed gratitude for what made Gold Bar special – the people who "danced with us, ate with us, and drank with us; to everyone who rocked out, spit bars and DJed," the bar wrote on Facebook, "to everyone who told jokes, made movies, and showcased their art; to everyone who cheered on Louisville FC, Louisville Racing, UL, and UK; and to our staff (x1,000,000), our patrons, our neighbors."
The end is in sight, and the future of the venue is uncertain. But Magers wants to spin the closure – pun intended – as a positive experience.
"We're kind of looking at it as a couple weeks of celebrating everyone's hard work and just the community really coming together and giving us some awesome memories over the last few years," Magers said.
What would you play to shut it down at Gold Bar?
The DJs who spoke with The Courier Journal offered an unofficial list of beats they would play to close out the last night at Gold Bar.
Closing Time - Semisonic
Faneto - Chief Keef
It Was A Good Day - Ice Cube
Leaf Wraps - The Homies
No Fuss - PartyNextDoor
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What's happening at Gold Bar before it closes?
Friday, Aug. 19 – Kym Williams will perform a DJ set from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Saturday, Aug. 20 – The Vintage Wave is hosting a showcase featuring J-Ideas and special guests starting at 10 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 25 – Imran Da Great, a comedy show, starts at 9 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 26 – Night Visions Radio will host DJ Sam Sneed, Aaron Chadwell and Alex Bell from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Saturday, Aug. 27 – On Gold Bar's closing night, DJ Warren Peace and Fly Guy Rhy will spin from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Contact reporter Rae Johnson at RNJohnson@gannett.com. Follow them on Twitter at @RaeJ_33.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville bars: Gold Bar closing after 2 years in Butchertown
