Uncle Louie’s, iconic Columbia dive bar, closing forever amid coronavirus
After 20 years, Uncle Louie’s is closing for good.
The popular bar in The Vista district of Columbia announced Wednesday in a Facebook post that it would be shuttering its doors permanently amid COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
“When we opened 20 yrs ago we never imagined the time we would have,” management wrote in the post. “Without a great staff and the best regulars in town it never would have been possible.”
Uncle Louie’s is the second long-time tavern in Columbia to close during the pandemic, which has caused the closure of bars across the state and country, leaving restaurants only serve takeout or delivery. Yesterday’s, an iconic establishment in the Five Points district, closed last week after 43 years in business.
Uncle Louie’s, located on Park Street next to Pearlz Oyster Bar, was known as one of Columbia’s top dive bars with a laid-back atmosphere, cheap drinks and pool tables, a dart board and a jukebox.
Gov. Henry McMaster ordered bars and restaurants to close all dine-in services on March 17 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in more than 5,700 cases and 200 deaths across South Carolina. While a state restaurant group has requested outdoor seating be allowed starting May 4 and indoor seating starting May 18, McMaster has yet to issue such an order. And even if he does, seating would be limited due to social distancing guidelines that require people to be 6 six feet apart.
Another of Columbia’s most famous dive bars, Group Therapy, kept its liquor license Wednesday in the face of a legal challenge but remains closed during the pandemic.
But by and large, the shutdowns during the pandemic have had devastating financial effects on restaurants and bars across the country and are not unique to just South Carolina. In fact, many fixtures in communities have been forced to shut down permanently, according to the Wall Street Journal. The National Restaurant Association released a survey estimating that more than 100,000 establishments could close forever by the end of April.
