If you’ve been on social media in the past few days you’ve seen a few messages from and about local establishments. These messages have been less than thrilling to students at CofC who frequent these locations.
Both La Hacienda and Boone’s Bar will be closing their doors on King Street. In a message to patrons on their facebook, Boone’s Bar said: “The time has come once again to give you bad news. Due to a change in ownership of our building, Boone’s will closing it’s doors for good on Feb. 9th.” This comes after a similar announcement was made over a year ago due to the same thing–change in building ownership. The difference though now is no new owner has been able to “swoop in and save the day at the last minute” yet again.
Photo from Boone’s Bar’s Facebook.
The closing of the establishment has left many students at CofC extremely distraught as there will no longer be any more Thursday night shenanigans at Boone’s after the 9th (this means no more half off drinks). Students and alumni alike have taken to Facebook to voice their complaints about the closing of the establishment with reactions varying from “so sad, our favorite burgers” to “life will never the be same.” Many are regarding it as the “end of an era,” as even after graduation many alumni still frequented the establishment for drinks and bar fare.
In an even more sudden way, La Hacienda on King Street has closed it’s doors. The announcement was seen by many students on Facebook when reported by Charleston Eater and Charleston City Paper. The Charleston Eater stated in an article: “One of the staples of Lower King La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant has locked the doors after over a decade on the peninsula.” The establishment’s location had been up for sale for over $300,000, according to Charleston Eater, however it was rumored the location had received less than thrilling ratings from Charleston health inspectors.
Photo from Eat King Street.
Charleston City Paper’s Kinsey Gidick reminisced on times spent at La Hacienda in her undergrad years: “[i]t was the pitchers of margaritas that keep me coming back. Neon yellow, they had the super saccharine flavor of a water-logged pack of lemon Sweet Tarts, just the way I liked it.”
Many locals and college students alike are wondering what’s next for the lower King Street area after the closing of both of these establishments, especially with chains like Chipotle and Panera moving in. The Charleston Eater stated: “Now undergrads and deal-seekers must hold out hope that Korean place Mama Kim’s, Lebanese restaurant Leyla’s, and late night pizza parlor Gilroy’s stand the test of rising rents and overzealous developers.”
No new establishment has been announced but students are anxiously awaiting to see what takes the location’s place on Lower King Street. Will it be a new store or a chain restaurant? Or will the College of Charleston buy up more space?
Regardless, students are quite distraught about the closing of both of these establishments. So now we reminisce a little. Here’s to the nights we don’t remember and the margaritas we should not have drank (but did anyways), thanks for the memories (or lack thereof) Boone’s Bar and La Hacienda. You will be greatly missed by the College of Charleston and all those who frequented your sticky establishments.