Citing rising costs, the West Side bar and live music club announced today that it will host its ‘final night of service’ on July 26, saddening many bands and fans.
End of a Too-Brief Era: Turnstiles on Grand Rapids’ West Side. (Photo/Anna Sink)
At its peak, Turnstiles on Grand Rapids’ West Side was a bustling, unique space for musicians and their fans — from cozy-but-electrifying rock shows to regular open-mic nights that featured funk’s Melophobix as a backing band.
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But as has too often been the case for many venues, restaurants and bars since the COVID pandemic, rising costs and difficulty in consistently attracting paying patrons has taken its toll.
Turnstiles announced today that it would host its “final night of service” on July 26.
“After years of shared drinks, live music and countless memories, the time has come to say goodbye,” the venue stated on Facebook. “Like many small, independent venues, we’ve weathered shifting seasons – rising costs, a changing market and most recently, a deal to secure the property that ultimately fell through. Despite our best efforts, we’ve just turned onto a one-way road into the horizon of time.”
Fading Sign of the Times: Turnstiles closes later this month. (Photo/Anna Sink)
Founded and opened by owner Rob Schellenberg in April 2021, the venue at 526 Stocking Ave. NW featured several nights of live music every week and recently hosted an outdoor “Domestics Vs. Imports” car show and music fest.
“This is a pretty big upset,” mourned singer and guitarist Nathan Walton, of Grand Rapids’ Nathan Walton & The Remedy which performed frequently at Turnstiles.
“It’s sad that the industry is not supporting places that support the community. Turnstiles went for a dream that is sadly unattainable in todays world. I commend them for going for it. Rich are getting richer, and the local is literally dying. Personally, I enjoy a little haunt, so it is very disappointing to see a smaller venue that was a great outlet for many artists go away.”
Stefan Schwartz, singer and guitarist for Melophobix which staged its monthly “Groovitational” open-mics at the club, called it “a sad day for Grand Rapids’ music scene.”
The closure comes after several other Grand Rapids venues shut their doors earlier this year, including jazz hot spots Rockwell Republic and GR Noir.
“In today’s climate, I don’t envy the venue owner,” Schwartz said. “Show attendance across the board, despite everyone’s love of live music, seems to have never recovered post-COVID. Former venues no longer offer live music and have returned to just being a bar/restaurant, while other venues do far fewer shows in a calendar year.
Popular Spot for Local Bands: The collaborative ‘Pocket Squatch’ on Stage. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
“Our city was once teeming with talent and viable options to see live music on any given evening. I used to have to choose between seeing my friends and fellow musicians putting on various concerts in the same evening, and the challenging decision of which one to attend. These days, that’s just not the case.”
In its statement, Turnstiles thanked the performers that graced its stage over the years, calling it “a home for live music” — including “sweaty encore nights, smooth jazz sets and everything in between.”
Dozens of musicians and fans expressed their sadness and disappointment on social media, thanking the venue for “providing a space for live music and community.”
The struggles amid a competitive live music industry have become all too common across the region and the country, many lamented.
“With cost of living rising and fewer places to play, who knows what the future will bring for our local music community,” Schwartz said.
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