BANGOR, Maine — After more than two years in business, Tantrum Nightclub and Lounge on Broad Street has closed.
“It is with great sadness that we are announcing effective immediately that Tantrum will be permanently closed,” majority owner Michelle Fern and her husband, Mike Fern, announced in a Facebook post Sunday.
Citing competing pressures including a full-time job, family and health concerns, Michelle Fern said the closure had more to do with her family’s quality of life than whether the business turned a profit.
“It’s sad to see it go. We had a fantastic customer base, and it was profitable for its first two years,” she said in an email Wednesday. “We just couldn’t invest the time anymore.”
In a statement, she also said the partnership that owned the nightclub never fully came to fruition.
“Running a business like this with several partners is certainly doable, and that was the plan,” she said. “But when your partners don’t provide the support they’re supposed to and you’re left running it solo, it soon becomes all about what’s most important to you.”
The nightclub averaged about 15 employees, depending on the season and special events. At the time of its closure, there were about 10 employees, according to Fern.
She said management is evaluating potential buyers for the business or its equipment.
“We had such a talented staff, great promoters and wonderful artists who entertained our patrons over the years,” she said. “We helped a lot of people make great memories there, and you can never take those experiences away.”
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