The local University City bar, West and Down, recently closed down after a police posting was displayed in their window.
On Saturday, Jan. 25 the eighteenth Police District left a notice for the night club located on 3816 Chestnut Street to cease all operations and vacate the building. This is a direct result of the night club’s use of the lower level of the space without the proper license to host live entertainment. Additionally, the notice mentioned that West and Down must have a certificate of occupancy to use the lower level as a nightclub.
Rudi Goldberg, a writer for The Triangle, reported that “I had been planning on going there that night and when I got there I was told it had been shut down for letting minors in and someone else said they didn’t have a proper nightclub license.”
The recently popular bar and nightclub was a very large attraction for the University City area. Both during weeknights and weekends West and Down hosted themed nights, which drew in mass amounts of college students. These themed nights, paired with their extremely active social media postings, put West and Down at the top of the agenda for many students in the area.
Some popular themes included White Claw Wednesdays — which included a discount on the hard seltzers. They also included a “Purge” night, where the bartenders turned off all the lights, put on light-up masks, and poured shots into club-goers mouths while standing on top of the bars.
According to an article published by The Daily Pennsylvanian, many college students are reluctant to see West and Down close, but many nearby residents are relieved that there will be a break from the noise.
Chris Moon, a senior at Drexel, was neutral with the closing, saying “It was a cool spot, I’ll still go to BonChon on the top floor.” The South-Korean based fried chicken restaurant is located above where West and Down operated.
This wild atmosphere drew a large crowd that would often have a line that led down the block. Although this was a popular nightlife spot, not everyone was as impressed with the establishment.
Garrett Miades, a junior at Drexel, believed that it was time for West & Down to be closed. “The floor was covered in a graveyard of $11 cocktails that were constantly getting knocked out of your hand by Pauly D-esque guys trying to impress uninterested girls. If you like black-lights and low visibility, this was your place. If not, it felt like a mistake that smelled of high tabs on a Wednesday night,”
Further questions have been arising as to exactly why the bar shut down. The closing was very abrupt, most people finding out through social media and word of mouth. West and Down was fully functioning up until the notice was posted on the bar’s door.
West and Down’s closing may have an effect on the nightlife in University City, considering another popular bar, Wahoo’s has also closed down recently. Students are now on the search for a replacement nightlife destination, hoping to find another dimly-lit place to party soon.