{"id":589033,"date":"2026-09-03T17:46:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T17:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/589033\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T17:46:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T17:46:11","slug":"burlingtons-radio-bean-to-close-next-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/589033\/","title":{"rendered":"Burlington’s Radio Bean to Close Next Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

Popular Burlington music venue Radio Bean<\/a> will close next week. Owner Lee Anderson announced the news in a series of social media posts on Wednesday<\/a>. The nightclub\u2019s last official day of operation will be Wednesday, September 9.<\/p>\n

According to Anderson, the abrupt closure is a direct result of a $29,000 liquor liability bill from the club\u2019s insurance provider that\u2019s due immediately. It\u2019s the latest in a series of debts that have fueled months of speculation about Radio Bean\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

\u201cCurrently, the Bean is facing a very serious, immediate, and seemingly insurmountable financial obstacle,\u201d Anderson wrote in an Instagram post. \u201cThe business simply cannot afford this, and without a solution, we will be forced to close as soon as one week from now.\u201d How long the closure will last or if it could be permanent is unclear. Anderson declined to comment further on the closure for now.<\/p>\n

Anderson founded Radio Bean as a coffee shop and music venue on North Winooski Avenue in 2000. Over the years, he expanded the businesses\u2019 footprint into an adjoining storefront, which housed a series of sister restaurants and, most recently, a second venue, Light Club Lamp Shop, which will also close next week.<\/p>\n

In January<\/a> Anderson announced he would be stepping away from the businesses this summer. He said he hoped to \u201cpass the torch\u201d to a new ownership group that would uphold the mission and values of Radio Bean, which has been a cornerstone of the Burlington music scene for a quarter century. Multiple offers came in, according to Anderson, and he eventually settled on an undisclosed group \u201cto shepherd the space into the next phase.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"\"Radio Bean Credit: Jordan Adams \u00a9\ufe0f Seven Days<\/p>\n

That transition has been thwarted, at least for now, by the harsh reality of the Bean\u2019s financial state. On social media, Anderson suggested the closure might not be permanent, writing that Radio Bean \u201cwill be closed for an unknown amount of time while plans coalesce. This could be weeks, a month, or possibly even months. Our hope is that this closure be as short and seamless as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anderson also revealed possible plans for a mini-festival at the club over Labor Day Weekend to \u201cend with a bang,\u201d as he put it.<\/p>\n

The news has triggered an outpouring of support on social media, particularly from local musicians. Many played their first gigs on the Radio Bean stage and face an increasingly uncertain Queen City music landscape. Radio Bean and Light Club Lamp Shop are the latest notable Burlington music venues to close due to financial issues in recent years, following Nectar\u2019s, Club Metronome<\/a>, ArtsRiot<\/a> and others.<\/p>\n

\u201cRadio Bean certainly wouldn\u2019t be here if it weren\u2019t for this incredible community supporting it all these years,\u201d Anderson wrote. \u201cWe have always had an amazing turnout, on and off stage. Thank you. What an incredible place you\u2019ve created. You should be proud, this community is special.\u201d <\/p>\n

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