It's a sad day in Murray, Kentucky. Like my previous Odyssey article, RIP College Memories, so many fine establishments that played host to college gatherings have now gone extinct. Well, it's time to add another beloved place to that ever-growing list.
On the Monday after Homecoming weekend, out of the blue, the news erupted on Twitter. Nick's Family Sports Pub has closed its doors. Below are a few tweets that have gone viral in the community.
Wait!! Nicks in Murray shut down!!!!
— Captain Obvious (@PoohMaGoo) October 12, 2015Apparently nicks in Murray closed, never going back to Murray now.
— Matthew Mauschbaugh (@mattmush13) October 12, 2015
Nicks officially closed? Now where am I going to shoot baskets for free appetizers & play Justin Beiber on repeat when I come visit
— Nick Pate (@WhoNickPate) October 12, 2015
RIP Nick's of Murray. Your LIT's will be missed dearly. 😔
— Breanna Sill (@bremarie) October 12, 2015
RIP ol college job. What's Murray without Nick's?!
— Peyton Skees (@PeytonSkees) October 12, 2015
It has been a fun ride guys. I appreciate every customer and all the support.
— Shaun Lamb (@slamb0013) October 12, 2015
So what happened? Business appeared to be booming, per usual. Over the weekend, current Murray State Racers and alumni swarmed the bar after Homecoming's tent city tradition.
While the reasoning is currently unknown, I talked with an employee to find out more info. On Monday morning, the servers received a text saying that Nick's is now closed and to let the owner know if they had any belongings left in the restaurant, because they've already changed the locks.
According to a former Nick's employee, the owner closed her business in Paducah sometime last week, also, but they never thought it would happen to the Murray location, as prices had just been raised on the menu. It's also unknown if the business has been sold, but all food, alcohol and drinks are still in the establishment.
People can hate on Nick's all they want for their terrible service and mediocre food. But let us not forget, it is the place everyone can recall great memories from. If you want to get cheesy, you can go as far to say friendships were made there.
Let's take a moment to reflect on some moments that I, and so many others, took for granted. This is an ode to you, Nick's.
To the buffalo chicken dip...
And all the other half-price appetizers during Happy Hour, but the buffalo chicken dip was the most cherished of them all. It came out bubbling hot, with your mouth watering to dip into that greasy concoction.
To the LITs...
Where else in Murray can you get ANY flavor Long Island Iced Tea in a big old mason jar? At $5 during happy hour, you can't beat it! Granted, they were extremely sugary, but one or two was all you needed to get your night going.
To the Trivia Tuesday nights...
Gathering a group of friends, coming up with a ridiculous (and usually inappropriate) team name and hoping to win a gift certificate. There were those few teams week after week that always dominated, and you don't know how they did so well. But even if you were in last place, it was still a fun time.
To the 21st birthday parties held in the party room...
Don't lie ... you couldn't wait to turn 21 just so you could reserve the party room for your highly anticipated shot book night. You also probably frequented a few of those gatherings. Think of how many devastated 20-year-old sorority girls out there will have to find a new location.
There's lots of other moments and factors that made Nick's special, but these are just some of the few that I know so many hold close to their heart. I'm still crossing my fingers that Nick's will resurrect!
