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After 8 years on 'the Deck', St. John's bar the Levee up for sale

After 8 years on 'the Deck', St. John's bar the Levee up for sale

After nearly eight years in business, the downtown St. John's bar the Levee is up for sale.

Owner Gene Browne said the Levee — which is located on Holdsworth Court, also known as "the Deck" — has had good and bad years since it first opened as a music venue.

However, after a noticeable drop in business lately, he's decided to look for someone to take over the lease and buy the equipment inside.

"There are not the droves of people in downtown St. John's that there once was," he told the St. John's Morning Show.

"It's slower for everybody compared to what it was even two or three years ago. Back then, money was just rolling in hand over first. I wouldn't even have to do anything I could just wake up and say, 'Oh, this is great.'"

Browne said while he could keep the bar open if he really wanted to, it would take a lot more work — and he thinks he's just ready for a personal change at this point.

At 30-years-old and having experience running his own business for nearly a decade, Browne feels like he's in a good position to find other work.

He knows he could probably wait out the economic downturn in the city and keep the Levee, but at this point doesn't want to have to put in all the extra work that would be required just to keep the bar afloat.

Uphill climb

Another contributing factor was the financial hit Browne took last summer with the New Branch Festival, which he organized. He said the festival isn't really a major reason why he's closing, but is still something that has been lingering over his head since August.

"We lost a substantial amount of money," he said. "It's hard to continue after that, when you take a hit to the point where you think you're set back so far that it's doable to catch up, but it makes it so hard every day."

For now, Browne said he has had about five serious offers for someone to take over the Levee. In terms of his own future, he said there are some opportunities for him, including offers from bands that are looking for managers with his kind of experience.

Done with the Levee, not the industry

While he's ready to hand over the keys to the bar that he's poured his heart and soul into for the last eight years, Browne is pretty sure he will be back with another music venue again someday.

"It's not something that I'll leave forever, I'll be back at some point with a venue because I do truly love the business," he said.

"I just find downtown St. John's, with the particular location I have now, is just not working for me."