Mack’s Restaurant and Tavern in Brewer is closing permanently on Sunday, the owner announced.
A combination of a lack of customers and not acquiring an amusement license to hold events at the restaurant were “too much to overcome,” owner Corey Bedard said in the announcement.
“Between the lack of consistent community support, the hard times so many are facing right now, and the constant negative comments and misinformation spread about us, we simply couldn’t keep fighting uphill forever,” Bedard said.
It’s unclear what misinformation Bedard is referring to. A call to the restaurant on Friday went unanswered and no one was at the establishment.
Mack’s, which opened this spring, is one of multiple restaurants in eastern Maine to close this year and the second this week to say a lack of customer and community support forced them to close.
Bedard applied for an entertainment license through the Brewer City Council earlier this month when he said he realized he needed one to continue having events like amateur wrestling and burlesque shows at the restaurant.
Mack’s had been holding events that required the license but did not have it and was supposed to be holding a wrestling event at the end of November.
The Council denied Bedard’s request on Nov. 10, saying he had not complied with Brewer laws when holding the events.
Bedard, 29, previously owned Hidden Vibez Taproom in Ellsworth. It closed in 2020 after losing its liquor license due to multiple complaints of overserving and fighting.
The restaurant was sold to the previous owner who is going to take over the location, which was previously Mad Kat and Company, Bedard said after the meeting.
Bedard is going to attempt to start another business in the area, he said, but didn’t say what it would be or when it would open.
“We don’t know what the future holds, but we’re not done dreaming, creating, or building something great for this community someday,” Bedard said.