SE Belmont Bar the Liquor Store Is Leaving Its Current Location

Six months after temporarily closing in response to Gov. Kate Brown’s executive order, venue and cocktail bar the Liquor Store is saying goodbye to its Belmont locale. A “for lease” sign has landed in the window of the bar, and owner Ray Morrone confirms that he’s “looking at other locations and opportunities.”

“I don’t foresee a large demand for an underground, basement nightclub anytime soon,” Morrone says in an email. “But we have a great relationship with the landlord. Who knows what will happen in these strange times.”

When the Blue Monk closed on Belmont in 2014, the Liquor Store moved in, giving the space a refresh and reopening in 2015. It became known for its live music and djs, as well as its house-made Curacao. The bar closed temporarily on March 17, 2020, in response to the mandatory shutdown of all onsite dining and drinking. In late April, two former employees of the bar filed lawsuits against Liquor Store investor Cooper DuBois, claiming years of sexual harassment that was tolerated by management; one suit names the Liquor Store outright as a defendant.

The bar has made no indication on social media that it intends to close — excluding a few virtual concerts on Facebook, the bar’s social pages have been quiet. It’s unclear where — or if — the Liquor Store will reopen.

• The Liquor Store [Official]
• The Liquor Store Brings Unpretentious Craft Cocktails to Belmont Bar District [DP]
• A Former Employee Is Suing the Liquor Store for Sexual Harassment [EPDX]