Downtown Bar Closes
Bar that helped revitalize downtown Houston shutters, but several cool new drinkeries are on the way
Another of the bars that helped kick off the latest wave of revitalization in downtown's Historic District has revealed it will close. Clutch City Squire, the casual neighborhood saloon started by Catbirds veteran Steve Hannigan, announced on Facebook that it will shut its doors Saturday (Feb. 7).
Unlike some of the more focused cocktail bars on the 300 block of Main that were its neighbors, Clutch City presented a more neighborhood-style vibe: the sort of place where someone might order a beer and a shot. That atmosphere attracted a crowd of restaurant industry employees who made it their regular place to hang out after work.
Clutch City also found itself embroiled in controversy when it locked out Barringer Bar, which had subleased the bar's second floor. Neither side ever commented publicly on the specifics of the dispute, and Barringer is currently making plans to reopen in the former Next space at 108 Main, according to Eater Houston.
Barringer is just one of a wave of new bars that have recently opened or are coming to further capitalize on downtown's emergence as a nightlife destination. Henke & Pillot, a lounge with an industrial look, recently opened next to La Carafe. Other new bars coming to the neighborhood include Bovine & Barley from the owners of Midtown bar The Refinery, and Houston Watch Company in the former Franklin Coffeehouse space.
Rumors suggest that Clutch City's space won't stay empty for long. Hannigan referred a request for comment to Carson Hager, who was not immediately available. We will update this story once we speak to him.
