A local bar-restaurant that catered to the "geek" community is shutting down operations in Vancouver after a decade in business here.
Storm Crow Alehouse revealed Jan. 3 the venue will be closing its doors permanently in just a few days.
The "sports bar for geeks" specialized in all things nerdy, like "fantasy, science fiction and horror fandom," along with dice, card, and role-playing games. Here you could find bites like "Teenage Mutant Deep Fried Pickles" and "The Day the Soup Stood Still" alongside drinks like "Muggle Butterbeer" and the "Wakanda Smash."
The Alehouse was the second Storm Crow venture in Vancouver; the "nerd bar" at 1619 West Broadway was a sibling spot to its predecessor, the Storm Crow Tavern on Commercial Drive, which launched nearly a decade ago. Storm Crow Tavern, however, shut down in early 2020.
"The Tavern already had many challenges, such as an expiring lease, and the coronavirus, for us and many other small restaurants, is a fatal blow while we’re already down," explained operators at the time.
Similarly, the Alehouse has faced operational challenges: "We did our best to weather COVID, lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, staff shortages, the SkyTrain construction on Broadway, and now Omicron," describes the Alehouse in its social media farewell notice.
"2021 has been hard for everyone, but it was exceptionally brutal for restaurants," notes the Storm Crow Alehouse.
The Storm Crow Alehouse hopes to be able to operate for a few more days this month, aiming to be open Wednesdays through Sunday until Jan. 16.
The business offers some brighter notes in its closure message; first, that they continue to operate its Storm Crow Manor location in Toronto, and, second, that perhaps Storm Crow can return in the future in Vancouver. "Like a different mythical bird, perhaps one day we will rise from the ashes in a new form, more powerful than ever before!"
As the brand winds down in Vancouver, the business has created a silent auction online featuring Alehouse memorabilia, with proceeds going to its staff.
