After 17 years, the Old Town Alehouse (5233 Ballard Ave) is closing. An employee with the alehouse says the rumors are true, and we have a call out to the owners to find out when and why they’re closing. The building that houses the bar has been occupied by a bar for almost all of its history, according to Old Town’s website:
The building located at 5233 Ballard Avenue Northwest has been occupied by a licensed bar for nearly its entire 110 year history. Built in 1898 our edifice shares the same vintage as much of our historic strip as the street was virtually rebuilt “overnight” following the great fire in 1895, which consumed most of what was then the Ballard Commercial District. Originally occupied by The Ballard Bar, this local landmark ran continuously up until Prohibition when all the bars on the street either closed their doors, turned to other livelihoods or merely closed their front doors and opened their “backdoors”.
We’ll update with any new updates about the closing.