CLUBLAND

End of the Better End

By Noah Bruce

The Better End closed its doors for good after a farewell party Sunday night. The bar first appeared in the Old Port under the name The Bitter End in 1997. In 1999, owner Scott Orchow was forced to sell the bar to Steve Wallace after Portland City Council voted not to renew the bar’s liquor license. After the sale, the council reinstated the license and Wallace changed the name to The Better End. The bar recently came under fire from the police, who asked the council’s safety committee to revoke the bar’s entertainment license. The matter was scheduled to be discussed at the March 7 City Council meeting, but that point has been rendered moot.

This comes as yet another blow to the live-music scene in Portland, in a year that has seen the closings of the Basement, Zootz, the Stone Coast upstairs room, and the Fermata Club. The Better End consistently played host to local bands on Wednesdays and the weekends, in addition to bringing in rock and hip-hop acts from around the region. Even if reports that the still-unfinished Portland Harbor Hotel will buy the space and convert it to an upscale bar are true, it is unlikely it will be as friendly to Portland musicians.

Wallace and bar manager Emily Kronholm were not available for comment. But, according to DJ Jon Hawkins, resident DJ at the club, the business could no longer afford to pay its rent. Hawkins, who DJed at the club for more than two years, says he is ready for a rest. “Staying out til 2 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday and working a day job can wear on you,” he says. “I think I’m going to leave my turntables at home for a while and practice.” Hawkins also said he is thinking about organizing other local DJs to compile a mix tape to showcase Portland talent.