VIRGINIA BEACH — A restaurant on Holland Road permanently closed Monday with no notice — leaving employees frustrated and customers confused.
“Closed. We thank you for your past patronage,” read a handwritten sign taped to the door of Woody McGees Barstro.
Woody McGees, which was in business for eight years, was an American restaurant, bar and live music venue.
“The business just wasn’t here,” said co-owner Mike Myers of the sudden closing.
One frequent customer speculated on what led to the closure.
“They were stuck on the local bands, which didn’t have much of a turnout for that type of establishment … it just seemed like they didn’t put the word out,” said Mike Piland of Virginia Beach. “The change to non-smoking was an issue for a lot of people, too.”
Piland said that he spent three nights a week at Woody McGees for more than four years. He noticed that business was slow, but said that management didn’t make any improvements.
“They wouldn’t listen to their patrons about possible changes to bring people in,” Piland said.
Local band PC Duo was scheduled to play this Friday night before hearing on Monday that the restaurant would be permanently closing.
“[It’s] slightly frustrating since we could have booked a show somewhere else, but I’m sure not as frustrating as the employees there who are now in search of jobs,” said PC Duo band member Cris Pelausa.
A former employee took to Facebook to express her shock about the restaurant closing with no notice.
“I’ve never woken up to find out I don’t have my job anymore,” she wrote on her personal Facebook page.
Vee Milosevich played music at the bar every month. She woke up to a text message on Monday saying that the restaurant would be closing immediately.
“I really did love the staff and patrons there, and it was a great place to play music,” she said. “Now I’m looking to fill those dates.”
Myers did not comment on the sudden closing but says he is grateful for his patrons.
“I want to thank all my customers who frequented our establishment over the past eight years,” he said. “Hopefully we will meet again.”
Email Wagner at [email protected].
