Popular uptown bar Chainsaw closed for good

After temporarily shutting down for COVID-19, owner of Chainsaw in uptown Waterloo say the bar is closed for good. (CTV Kitchener)

A popular bar in uptown Waterloo won’t be reopening after the shutdown ends.

The owner of Chainsaw confirming that the bar’s eleven year run is over, stating the timing of the shutdown and it’s length made keeping the bar open unrealistic.

The bar shutdown temporarily on March 16, due to concerns of spreading the virus.

At the time all 45 employees were laid off.

Owner Ryan Good says the decision to close for good was painful.

“The decision emotionally was very difficult, from a business perspective it was easy.” said Good.

According to Good the operating cost of running a large bar like Chainsaw is high and it needs to be full to profitable.

“We need to be full all the time, and it’s hard to be full when people are shy to go out once bars can reopen.” Said Good.

Missing out on St. Patrick’s Day and the end of the university year also hurt the bar’s bottom line, Good says if the shutdown happened in July the likely wouldn’t have to close.

Good says he is hoping, when the time is right, they can give Chainsaw a proper farewell.