Bad History
Another Washington Avenue bar closes: Are rowdy, obnoxious places going out of style?
After four troubled years, Sawyer Park on Washington Avenue has thrown in the towel.
It's been a hell of a run for the sports bar, which was plagued with everything from allegations of racism to a 2011 shooting just yards from its doorstep. Nevertheless, Sawyer Park marched on with a series of popular regular events devoted to dodgeball, bingo and crawfish.
Owners Darren and Jeff Van Delden — brothers who operate the Drake as well as Midtown hotspots Red Door and Wonder Bar — posted a message on the bar's Facebook page thanking patrons for the memories.
In spite of Pearl Bar's recent tension with the TABC and the closing of Convivio, Eater Houston is one optimistic voice about the Washington Avenue corridor, which appears to be winding down the rowdy clubs and sports bars in favor casual handcrafted drink spots like Liberty Station and cocktail maven Alba Huerta's upcoming Julep in the old Corkscrew space.