Longtime Columbia Five Points bar trimming late night hours, blames liquor insurance crisis
A longtime Columbia watering hole that has, for decades, been known as a spot that was open deep into the night will soon scale back its latest hours, citing the state’s liquor liability insurance crisis.
Bar None, which has been a mainstay at 620 Harden St. in Columbia for 30 years, announced it it will no longer be open past 2 a.m. starting on Jan. 30. Bar None owner Marty Dreesen announced the change in a Facebook post — titled “A Moment In Time” — on Tuesday night. Dreesen said Bar None was unable to get liquor liability insurance to serve past 2 a.m.
“We would like to thank all the Bar None regulars, both before and after 2:00 am,” the post reads. “We would like to thank the City of Columbia for trusting us with the opportunity to stay open after 2:00 am for the past 30 years. In that time, Bar None has never had a liquor liability lawsuit or violation.”
Liquor liability insurance is a topic that has increasingly been on the minds of bar, restaurant and venue owners across South Carolina in recent years, as rates for the insurance have continued to climb.
A state law passed in 2017 requires establishments that sell beer, wine or liquor for on-premises consumption to carry at least $1 million in liquor liability insurance. In the law’s wake, restaurateurs say some insurers have left the market in South Carolina in the last several years, thereby limiting the number of carriers they can use. Subsequently, many restaurateurs and bar owners have seen liquor liability insurance rates skyrocket.
Bar None, which has long been a favorite late-night haunt for service-industry workers, has, until now, been known for staying open until 4 a.m. many nights each week
“Liquor liability insurance is an issue that belongs to the legislature, lawyers and insurance companies,” Dreesen wrote on Facebook. “They are failing South Carolina. Bar None is lucky. We are located in the iconic Five Points. There are many businesses in South Carolina that do not have that luxury.”
Bar None’s announcement that it was trimming its latest hours drew an immediate reaction on social media, with more than 340 reactions on Facebook as of 7 a.m. Wednesday. Many commenters lamented the change, and noted their fondness for being able to go to Bar None deep into the wee hours to relax after their own late-night jobs.
“I couldn’t have survived my time in 5 points without Bar None to unwind after work,” one commenter posted.
This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 7:24 AM.
