06/29/2023
💔** PLEASE READ ENTIRELY**💔
In December of 2017, a new business hopped on the bandwagon headed to the ever fast-growing Powdersville area. Through social media platforms, the business allowed local residents to sneak peek glimpses of the upcoming venue as well as invite anyone else of like interest to join in on the fun. The word spread quick and the business had a tremendous amount of followers long before the doors even opened.
On Friday March 16, 2018, Powdersville Pub opened its doors to the public. With St. Patrick's Day following, the weekend was no doubt a huge success. Word of mouth spread even quicker as the months went by and the venue continued to produce growth abundantly.
By January 2020, the venue was able to triple in size, build in a concert stage area and significantly enhance the nightlife entertainment scene for Powdersville and surrounding areas.
All was good until Covid-19 hit. But even after being shut down for 40+ days, Powdersville Pub prevailed. After the return from the shutdown, the venue continued to produce growth adding more in-house sound equipment, entertainment lighting, a full-time sound engineer and brought in hundreds of acts, local and out-of-state. Musicians were traveling from all over the place just to get a chance to play on Powdersville's only stage!
Featuring 4 pool tables, karaoke nights and live music no less than 3 nights a week, it didn't take folks long to realize Powdersville Pub was the place to be!
Through 2021-2022, Powdersville Pub was among the many businesses in the industry facing staffing issues and the constant inflation of goods.
However they continued to press forward, completely unaware of the adversity that lay ahead.
In early 2023, the business was notified that their current insurance carrier would be non-renewing their policy because the carrier was no longer going to provide insurance for the state of South Carolina.
Per usual, the next course of action is to shop insurance markets for quotes for a new policy. BUT, here's where the tide turned...
All of a sudden, there's no carriers!
Years ago, the number of carriers that were willing to supply this policy was already small in numbers but now, they're nearly extinct. There seems to only be maybe 3 or 4 carriers for the entire state!!!
Why?????
Let me explain:
1. In 2017, the state of South Carolina passed a law requiring any establishment that sold alcohol by the drink to carry a one million dollar liability policy. It's called the Liquor Liability Policy. This policy is in addition to the general liability policy, workers comp, property coverage and any other policy's we have to carry.
2. Over the next 5 years, the establishments that carry this particular policy would be targeted by injury attorneys seeking settlements by trying to place blame on the establishment(s) for any alcohol related accidents vs holding the individual(s) who cause the accidents at fault.
3. Insurance companies were beginning to have to pay out, claims were placed on the establishments, stricter guidelines were being enforced etc etc. So what did the insurance companies do? They simply decided to quit providing South Carolina with that particular policy.
4. The remaining carriers have such strict guidelines to acquire the policy that it makes it near impossible for most, and completely impossible for some, establishments to get an affordable quote.
Example: Our cheapest quote was for $72k a year. They demand a 30% down payment and divide the difference for the next 9 months. You do the math. It's flat out ridiculous!
Now, that you've been slightly educated on what's been happening, we can move forward to the intention of this post.
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On June 1st, I posted that the Pub would be closed until further notice. The insurance policy's duration ended, the potential sale of the business had not been finalized therefore the business could not legally operate.
In an attempt to get the doors back open , I took the next 30 days to try to find any solution that I may have overlooked, but everywhere I turned proved to be of no luck. If there was a roadblock to be stumbled upon, I found it. If there was wall to hit, I hit it. Nothing but closed doors everywhere I've turned so ultimately a decision had to be made.
It is with great sadness and disappointment that I announce the end of an era, the end of Powdersville Pub.
I am truly heart broken over this loss but the one thing I can be sure of is I have done everything in my power to save it. This is not a fair situation but I will walk away with my head held high for this is not my fault. This is not the insurance company's fault. This IS our legislation's👈 fault. The very people who are suppose to protect us, could care less.
I want everyone to know the last 5 years have been the most memorable years of my life. The ups, the downs, the sideways...lol...ALL of it has been a great ride.
❤️To my customers, THANK YOU ALL for the abundance of support throughout the years. We could not have survived without you.
❤️To my staff, THANK YOU ALL for your hard work and dedication over the years. Y'all were the backbone that made the Pub so successful.
❤️To ALL the musicians and bands, this is where my heart breaks the most. Music has always been a passion of mine and for 5 years, y'all allowed me to basque in the passion. THANKS TO EACH & EVERY ONE OF YOU for making what was once a dream, become a reality for me.
I beg of y'all to please join the Save SC Small Venues & Bars page(s), research the material, contact representatives and stand up for the rest of the establishments. If something doesn't change quick, more closures will happen.
(Disclaimer: ALL music bookings for July & August will be canceled. If the sale finalizes, the venue will be under a new owner and the process of reopening could takes 60 days or more to complete.)
