(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte gastropub was viewed as a catalyst for bringing more people into downtown when it first opened in 2019, but its lifespan here is coming to a disappointing end. Bare Bones at 518 Lincolnway has announced its doors will close on November 9th.
“We’re heartbroken for the chapter of Bare Bones to come to an end in our lives, but are proud of the space we were able to carve out in La Porte for the time we could,” said co-owner and executive chef Blake Murray in his post on the Bare Bones website.
“The decision was far from easy,” he added in his post.
Murray is also one of the owners of Burn ‘Em Brewing in Michigan City, now in its 10th year at a new, much larger location that opened earlier this year on U.S. 12 east of Franklin Street. Burn ‘Em Brewing, which also serves food, relocated from its original location at 718 Freyer Road on Michigan City’s east side.
Mike Riehle, president of the La Porte Urban Enterprise Association, said talks were recently held with the owners at Bare Bones to see if there was anything else the city could do to help keep their doors open.
Under an incentive program, the owners of Bare Bones were allowed to operate from a UEA owned building as long as they made a certain amount of capital improvements to the three story structure and remained in business for at least five years. The decision to close came several months after meeting the five year requirement.
Riehle said Bare Bones was chosen for the program under a belief the owners would have the same type of success with their business concept here as they had in Michigan City. He said the owners did everything seemingly possible to duplicate that success and had many loyal customers but, for whatever reason, fell short of expectations.
“I think, for the most part, they’ve been a very big part of our downtown and it’s unfortunate that we have to see them go,” he said.
The craft beer offered at Bare Bones is made at Burn ‘Em Brewing, which also offers various brands at the retail level.
