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Clarke’s, a 50-year-old bar at Faneuil Hall, has closed
The owners told The Boston Globe that foot traffic downtown had not bounced back since the pandemic.
Clarke’s, a popular bar and restaurant whose 50-year history included game-viewing parties, a capella, and Mafia ties, has closed for good.
The Boston Globe first reported the closure of the bar near Faneuil Hall on Friday. Owners told the paper Clarke’s last day of service was Saturday.
The decision to close was made after the owner of the space at 21 Merchants Row foreclosed last year. According to the Globe, the bar’s owners tried to buy the property at auction, but it was too expensive, and they decided to not sign a lease with the new property owner.
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Another issue that Clarke’s faced was a drop in downtown customers since the pandemic, given that fewer people work in downtown offices full time.
“After more than 50 years, I think the time has come,” said Stephen V. Miller, an owner. “The downtown area is still not back to where it was pre-pandemic, and I just don’t think it’s going to happen for a while.”
Miller also shared with the Globe that the owners may try to bring Clarke’s back in a new location, but for now, it’s an end of an era for a watering hole that customers flocked to for wings, other bar bites, and beer.
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Clarke’s, which opened in 1975 at 21 Merchants Row, will be missed, as evidenced by the reaction from social media users after the bar’s owners shared the news on Instagram.
“There is a time for everything in life. Every journey has a beginning and an end, and what matters most are the memories made along the way,” the Instagram post read, before continuing to thank its staff and patrons.
“There was a collective sigh of relief from the livers of those of us in our 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s who enjoyed many Happy Hours, libations, and great times there,” one user commented. “Thanks for the hospitality, good times, and memories. Good luck with the next chapter.”
Other users thanked longtime staff in their online tributes to the bar.
“Where will Maura go? Because that’s the bar I want to go to from now on,” another user wrote.
The Globe reported pieces of Clarke’s 50-year history. Arthur Gianelli, a mob member, was convicted of taking over the bar after threatening the owner in the early 2000s.
It was also the kind of bar where, in the 1980s, an a capella group might perform for customers, and dinners cost less than $6.
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The news of Clarke’s closure comes at a time when city and business leaders are discussing what to do to save Faneuil Hall Marketplace, the famous Boston landmark that’s seen many vacancies.
Boston.com reached out to Clarke’s via email, but didn’t hear back in time for publication.
Tell us: Do you have a special memory of dining at Clarke’s? What were some of your favorite dishes? Let us know what you’ll miss about the restaurant. Share with us in the survey below or e-mail us at [email protected], and your response may appear in an upcoming Boston.com article.
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