Popular Somerville Bar Bull McCabe's Closes

SOMERVILLE, MA — A popular bar and music venue in Somerville is permanently closing. Bull McCabe's is shutting down after 12 years in Union Square, at least in part due to the coronavirus pandemic, owner Brian Manning said.

Manning announced the closure on Facebook Monday, indicating the pandemic was the final straw following a difficult few years.

Manning's statement read in part:

"The last six months have taken an incredible toll on all of us, and while the restaurant/bar/music venue industry as a whole has been decimated, Mom-and-Pop shops like ours, especially, have been crushed. We’re a 780 sq.-ft music venue, not easily-aligned with social distancing, and we have been struggling to stay afloat for a long time. Legal battles, construction, an ever-changing neighborhood, and many other causes have made it increasingly difficult for us over the past few years."

Bull McCabe's first opened in 2008 and featured live music, trivia nights and pub fare. Despite its popularity, the pub incurred a "large amount" of debt in recent years, which continued to rise without income to balance it out since March.

"So, as much as I want to hang on and hope things will bounce back, I can't afford to, financially or emotionally," Manning said.

Steve Clark, vice president of Government Affairs for the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, said he expects more restaurants to close as the winter approaches. He told Patch the industry has been "besieged" by the pandemic.

"While some closings get more headlines, each closing is its own individual tale of sadness," Clark said. "Sad for the operators and employees that worked hard every day to make the operation beloved, sad for guests that loved to patronize these restaurants and sad for the community that loses part of the fabric that brought it together. The restaurant industry is resilient and will come back, but on days like today it seems that recovery is a little further away than any of us want it to be."