PORT TOWNSEND — A downtown bar that caters to Port Townsend’s younger element — and which could be a little rough, according to its owner — will close its doors in June.
Middletown Dreams, better known as the Pinbar, which opened as a hangout for beer, wine and pinball in November 2012, will cease operations at 2 a.m. June 3 unless it is sold, according to an email sent by Paul Rice on Tuesday evening.
“This was a hard decision,” said Rice, who co-owns the business with Candace Monroe.
“It is sad, but some of the coolest spots in the world only last for a brief moment.”
There is still a chance the business, located at 213 Taylor St., will be sold and continued, he said.
If that occurs, the purchaser would need to buy all the equipment and renegotiate the lease with the landlord, Kyle Development Co. of Issaquah.
The business itself is successful, Rice said, earning about $60,000 a year, but he is backing out because he has lost some enthusiasm for the nightlife management lifestyle.
“We have lost our passion for this,” Rice said of the business.
“If you want to run a successful restaurant or bar, the owners need to be present and very much there.”
The Pinbar filled a niche because it stayed open until 1 a.m., far later than most downtown bars.
It also catered to a younger crowd, which Rice said is ignored and marginalized by other establishments.
“I don’t think we fit in with some people’s vision for this town, which includes retirees, older folks, entrepreneurs and business owners,” Rice said.
“We attract people who want to cut loose a little bit, those who want an urban feel and aren’t content to see the town become some kind of barely living museum.
“I think it’s sad that we are closing because there are some people who only felt comfortable here.”
Rice said some Pinbar patrons will end up at Sirens or the Cellar Door, while others will be adrift because they have been banned from other establishments.
Owner: Rough bar
Rice admits the bar could be a little rough, evidenced by 39 police calls between November 2012 and today.
That compares, for instance, to 23 at Sirens for the same period.
“There are times that I can’t stand to be in here because it’s too creepy and sketchy, and other times where it’s the best place in the world,” he said.
“It depends on how I feel at the moment.”
Rice manages the bar, while Monroe does the books.
They plan to stick together and perhaps open another business in the future, “but it won’t be Middletown Dreams 2.0,” Monroe said.
Rice, 34, came to Port Townsend on an impulse in 2012 and intended to stay only a year.
That changed when he began running the Pinbar. Then he met Erica Pemberton of Port Townsend, to whom he is now engaged. The two are expecting a daughter.
“I intend to stay here forever, but I’m not sure exactly what I’ll do next,” he said, suggesting that some options could be business, real estate or politics.
May stay on board
He said Thursday in an email that he plans to step down as vice president of the Port Townsend Main Street board, although he may stay on the board.
Rice and Monroe looked into other locations and came close to renting a space at 1100 Water St., next to Subway, but it was going to be as expensive as the current location and was “away from the crawl” of downtown.
They decided against the move because they lacked the enthusiasm to start anew.
The bar will operate as usual through May, finishing up with a concert June 1 and “one final karaoke blowout explodaganza” the following night.
Rice doesn’t know what to expect but said it could get loud.
“I can’t speak to whether we’ll break any rules,” he said of the final event.
“But if we do, I apologize in advance.”
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
