Portland’s Brian Boru Public House will permanently close its doors at 1 a.m. on Monday.
The popular pub announced the closing Thursday on its Facebook page. Owner Daniel Steele expressed appreciation toward its loyal patrons, vendors and the City of Portland for supporting the pub for more than 25 years.
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In its time as a Portland staple, Brian Boru has grabbed headlines and tried to progress the city’s bar scene.
In 2013, Steele pushed for legislation that would allow his pub to open at 6 a.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, which fell on a Sunday that year.
“This is a small-business issue in a tough economy,” Steele told the Bangor Daily News then. “This is about my employees. This is about tax revenue. This is about jobs.”
Then-Gov. Paul LePage instead prioritized repaying Maine’s Medicaid debt in a move that became contentious.
It’s the second prominent business closure this week in Portland. Silly’s restaurant announced earlier this week it would close after 31 years.
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