Beloved Wake County neighborhood restaurant and taproom closes after 23 years
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Bass Lake Draft House in Holly Springs permanently closed after 23 years.
- Owner Charles Miller said declining sales since COVID and rising costs forced closure.
- Miller attempted a lease renegotiation but could not secure a new agreement.
After nearly a quarter-century as a neighborhood bar, a Wake County taproom has shut its doors.
The Bass Lake Draft House in Holly Springs announced this week that it was shutting down after 23 years in business.
Owner Charles Miller said Monday, May 11 was Bass Lake’s last day.
“What started as a neighborhood restaurant became something far more meaningful because of all of you,” the owners posted on the restaurant website and Facebook. “Over the years, we’ve watched first dates turn into marriages, kids grow up and bring in families of their own, friendships form over wings and beer, and countless celebrations, birthdays, ballgame nights, and ordinary evenings become memories we’ll never forget.”
Bass Lake Draft House opened in 2003 in the early days of American craft beer. At one point Bass Lake was part of a larger group of bars that included the now-closed Sawmill Taproom and Village Draft House, before that company separated. Miller continues to operate Village Draft House in Raleigh’s Village District.
Bass Lake Draft House closes
In closing Bass Lake, Miller said sales have been in decline since COVID, while costs have risen sharply since 2024.
“Everything started with COVID,” he said. “COVID changed everything in the restaurant world. It changed people’s habits, they’re not going out like they used to. And people have been going away from beer, they’re not drinking it as much.”
Miller said he tried unsuccessfully to work out a new lease for Bass Lake, but was forced to close. In a farewell message, he thanked the bar’s regulars and loyalists who looked to Bass Lake as their local.
“More than anything, we want you to know how much your support meant to us,” the owners wrote on Facebook. “Restaurants are about food and drinks, but the people are what truly make a place special. You gave Bass Lake its heart.”
Taprooms closing
In the last six months, the Triangle has seen the closing of several popular taprooms — most recently Funguys in Raleigh.
