hanks-saloon-closing-in-june

new Hank's Saloon closing in June, along with the rest of Hill Country Food Park

Beloved Brooklyn dive bar and venue Hank’s Saloon got a second life after being forced out of its Third Ave location at the end of 2018, moving into the shiny new Hill Country Food Park at the start of this year. But after only six months open, Hill Country Food Park has closed and is being transformed into another food hall by new owners. Hank’s is still open but will close in early June as they shared on Facebook:

After five amazing months and working our asses off non-stop, Hill Country told us a few days ago that someone else will be taking over their lease asap on the entire building on Adams Street, and that the people taking over don’t really have any interest in continuing to house Hank’s Saloon (they will transforming it into a different venue). So I am heartbroken to say that our doors will close in early June, and we have to pack up and go. We’ve only had only a couple of days not only to process this, but to let our amazing staff know, and to reach out to all the wonderful bands that have been booked for future shows that we were so looking forward to hosting.

You can read the full statement from Hank’s below.

As for Hill Country Food Park, Hill Country management told Eater, “While we have enjoyed stretching our culinary wings at Food Park, we have decided to focus on growing our other Hill Country restaurants” and said the new food hall will include “well-known hospitality brands.”

After five amazing months and working our asses off non-stop, Hill Country told us a few days ago that someone else will be taking over their lease asap on the entire building on Adams Street, and that the people taking over don’t really have any interest in continuing to house Hank’s Saloon (they will transforming it into a different venue). So I am heartbroken to say that our doors will close in early June, and we have to pack up and go. We’ve only had only a couple of days not only to process this, but to let our amazing staff know, and to reach out to all the wonderful bands that have been booked for future shows that we were so looking forward to hosting.

In the short time we were on Adams Street, the bar did extremely well. We were rocking it with packed happy hours and fantastic nights of music, and had just started building a community in a neighborhood that we were told was going to be impossible to make work. Our numbers were high and our costs were low, we were doing great and it was taking off even more day by day. We were looking forward to the future and what else we could create in the space. I want to say thank you to everyone that continued to support Hank’s through our first closing, and came and rocked out in our new space; our wonderful staff old and new that have been not just employees but true true family (I FUCKING LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH); all the musicians that graced our stage and shook our hands after their shows and wanted to come back again and again because they loved it and were treated with the utmost respect (as well as incredible sound from our spectacular engineers); our friends and family who contributed their time and artistic talents to help make the look and feel at the new place feel enough like the old place that it wasn’t a total shock when you walked in; all of our regulars and new patrons for coming to our new spot and showing us so much love. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Looks like we have a couple more weeks to get in some really good music and do some dancing so I hope to see you there. This has been extremely difficult to write and I am sick about it. It’s been a real honor to own/run Hank’s for so many years, and to meet most of you and hang with a PBR and a shot. I’m gonna say goodbye for now, but hopefully we will be lucky one more time and find somewhere else so we can continue what we started. NYC you get me down, but I’m not over you yet!

Cheers for now,
Julie