LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — KSBar, a Lexington sports bar that has become a staple for University of Kentucky fans over the last eight years, is closing as a full-time daily bar.
"Unfortunately, we've had to make the decision that as a full-time daily bar, we're going to have to close and we're going to close Rail Bird weekend. We're going to go through Rail Bird, which is June 6th and 7th," said Matt Jones, KSR host and owner of KSBar.
The bar has been a gathering place for fans to eat, cheer, and enjoy UK sports.
"It's the one great place to come to and see all the memorabilia," Dan Warren, a frequent visitor said.
The owners say the decision was driven by financial pressures in the current market.
"The decision is unfortunately been coming for a little while, but one we had hoped to avoid, but it is kind of inevitable in the market as it is. We just financially can't kind of keep it going on a daily pace as we have done," added Jones.
The news came as a surprise to many customers and staff.
"It's a bit of a shock, honestly. We just told the staff down in my store Porch Pirates, about it and everybody was like, are you serious? So it's really surprising because they're always busy, especially on game days. I mean, they literally have the best cheese products in Lexington," Austin Owen, the owner of Porch Pirates said.
Warren said the closure has him thinking about bringing a family member to see the bar before it shuts down.
"I have thought about bringing my grandson because I haven't been able to bring him to see it and since now they're finding out they're closed, I'm thinking about coming up here and bringing him up here because he's, his dad's a Duke fan," says Warren.
Owen's business is located in the same shopping center. During his time there, he has watched two restaurants in the area close and knows firsthand how difficult the current business environment is.
"For us, it's like finding new and creative ways. A lot of fellow business owners talked about, slower Memorial Day sales because of the weather. Even something as small as that can be the last straw, and leveraging things like DoorDash has been a big deal for us and others as well, but just getting creative with it and trying to find a new way to delight the customer without necessarily asking for more money," Owen said.
Despite the closure, the owners say KSBar will still be part of game days. They released a statement confirming they will continue to open when Kentucky plays and hinted at a future partnership.
"We are going to have a game day experience where we partner with another restaurant, but I can't really announce that today. It's not my restaurant, so I have to wait for them," added Jones.
