Leaving behind a legacy of sticky floors, Pink Whitney hats and early 2000s music, Grog House Bar and Grill announced Tuesday it will close their doors May 6.
“Stop by for one more good time before the end of the semester and be part of the final countdown,” the post read.
The bar, one of the only 18-and-older bars in Gainesville, featured All You Can Drink Ladies Nights every Wednesday and Saturday — a favorite UF students will miss.
Grant Henderson, a 22-year-old UF marketing graduate and Grog’s barback, said he loved the camaraderie he created with his coworkers.
“It was always a great time going to work,” Henderson said. “It basically was like going in to hang out with a bunch of your friends and then kind of partying on the side.”
While he’s sad about Grog’s impending closure, he said it didn’t come as a surprise.
“I think it's honestly just a sign of the times,” he said. “A lot of the older bars close, and they get relocated — a lot of the older classic places that many people know and love.”
Tara Astoske, a 28-year-old UF animal science graduate and Grog’s general manager, said Grog’s staff is like a family. Students knew Astoske as “Midtown Mom.”
“I'm definitely sad because it's been such an impact in my life,” she said. “We've all just become so close.”
Contact Peyton at pharris@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @peytonlharris.
Peyton Harris is a third-year English major and Senior News Director for the Alligator. In her free time, she likes to doomscroll on Twitter and crochet.
