UPDATE: Owner of Tootsie’s, Kid Rock’s & Other Broadway Bars Agrees To Close

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Looks like Broadway is going dark tonight.

After initially saying that he would defy Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s order for all bars in the city to shut down, the owner of several Lower Broadway bars has agreed to close after all. According to WKRN, the attorney for Steve Smith, owner of many popular bars like Tootsie’s, Honky Tonk Central, Rippy’s and Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock & Roll Steakhouse, decided this afternoon to close his bars and comply with the city’s order.

With most of Broadway’s bars now agreeing to close, it won’t be long before any holdouts close their doors and Broadway completely shuts down. Last night after the mayor’s order, AJ’s Good Time Bar and Blake Shelton’s Ole Red had already closed, and today Luke Bryan announced that his Luke’s 32 Bridge would be shutting down as well.

This is in addition to the statement issued yesterday from the owner of Legends Corner, Second Fiddle and The Stage that they would comply with the shutdown order issued by the mayor and the Metro Board of Health.

While this is going to hurt a lot of people who depend on jobs in these bars for their livelihood, from bar owners to bartenders to musicians, this is absolutely the right call as we try to contain and ultimately stop the spread of the Coronavirus. It’s a terrible situation, but health and safety has to be the main priority.

So at least for now, Broadway seems to be going dark.

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