Popular Ballard Sports Bar and Restaurant Announces Its Closing [Updated]

After 11 years serving Ballard, popular sports bar and restaurant Ballard Loft is closing down. The owners posted a message on Facebook Tuesday thanking patrons for supporting the bar and said the venue would be closed “effective immediately.” When reached for comment on the announcement, Ballard Loft wrote back via Facebook, “The inconsistent business patterns of a sports and late-night driven establishment has become too difficult to operate.” Ballard Loft’s owners, Dan and Erin Murphy, are seeking a buyer and there’s always the possibility that the next taker would want to keep the existing business open.

Ballard Loft had been known as a go-to venue to drink craft beer or inventive cocktails and catch the game, with the patio a particularly welcoming atmosphere (it was on Eater Seattle’s recent list of Best Outdoor Eating and Drinking Spots). The indoor space — built from hand-carved wood and salvaged metal from the old machine shop that used to occupy the building — never felt too hip or pretentious.

Over the decade-plus it’s been operating, though, Ballard Loft has seen plenty of competition emerge on busy Ballard Avenue, notably Percy’s & Co, Stoneburner, and King’s Hardware, among many others. As of 2018, there were 58 restaurants, 31 bars, and 10 coffee shops just in Ballard’s downtown core alone, with business real estate in the area a hot commodity.

No word on whether there will be a new tenant in Ballard Loft’s prime location, but Eater Seattle will keep this post updated as more details emerge.

• Ballard Loft Closes Suddenly After 11 Years [My Ballard]
• Great Spots For Outdoor Drinking and Dining In Seattle [ESEA]

UPDATE April 10, 2019, 2:27pm: This article was updated to include information about Ballard Loft seeking a buyer.