WEST READING, Pa. – The latest bar to close on Penn Avenue in West Reading has served its last drink. The business is the sixth to shut down in the borough.
Beer Wall On Penn announced last week that it’s closing after more than five years in West Reading. The business is one among a handful making the same move.
“These businesses that have been choosing to either retire or, you know, leave for personal reasons, they were through a lot,” said Samantha Kaag, mayor of West Reading.
Some of establishments with “closed” signs include Say Cheese, West Reading Motor Club, and Nitro Bar — all of which have the same owner.
Kaag says swirls of speculation as to a cause for the closures aren’t helpful. Instead, she is encouraging kindness in the community.
“I think everything has its time, and I think some of them happened a little bit closer together, obviously, some for personal reasons,” the mayor said. “Others — Willow Creek and the Broken Chair (Brewery) — were retiring.”
Kaag says new spots are now in the works.
“The old Say Cheese is being renovated,” she said. “The owners of GNA (Ristorante) have now purchased that, so they’re offering up some fun, exciting restaurant.”
“We have Broken Chairs. It has a space,” she continued. “Willow Creek has a space. So, we are filling those businesses very quickly.”
The Beer Wall On Penn is the latest business in West Reading to close its doors.
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“We also have some new businesses coming in outside of the spaces that are currently open,” Kaag said.
The mayor said the borough is trying to entice a younger crowd, and so far, she says the community has showed plenty of support
“We recently had Fall Fest, which was like, estimated 30,000 people,” Kaag said. “So, I think that shows the community’s resilience to wanting to come together to support these small businesses.”