Why Are Boston’s Dive Bars Vanishing?
Boston’s cheapest beers are being replaced by the tears of loyal patrons left without their favorite watering holes.
The Tam in Boston’s Theater District closed over the weekend and is the latest in a wave of dive bars shutting their doors with the possibility of reopening under new management, Boston Restaurant Talk reports. Sullivan's Tap near the TD Garden and North Station also closed over the weekend.
A message on The Tam’s official Facebook page thanked patrons for years of business and indicated the new owners said it could stay the same, and Sullivan's Tap also indicated it would be back. Not everyone is convinced of a revival.
Boston Restaurant Talk notes the same explanation was given when Beacon Hill Pub closed in September, but the lights are still off at the once-popular Charles Street dive. An ownership group called Greater Boston Bar Co., which includes City Realty Managing Partners Steve Whalen and Fred Starikov, bought the buildings that house The Tam, Sullivan's, Beacon Hill Pub and Mary Ann’s in Brighton, Universal Hub reported in July.
Mary Ann’s, a popular Boston College dive bar, is the only one that remains in business.
