05/25/2026
There’s no easy way to write this.
After an incredible journey, Tuesday will be our final day of operations at Average Joe’s.
To say this is heartbreaking feels like an understatement.
For so many of you, Average Joe’s was more than just a bar or restaurant. It was your Friday night tradition, your wing night, your celebration spot, your post-game stop, your live music venue, your fundraiser home, your comfort place, and for many of us … it became family.
For us, this building has been home for decades. We’ve laughed here, celebrated here, grieved here, worked harder than we ever thought possible here, and poured our hearts into creating a place where people could gather, connect, and make memories.
This decision was not made lightly.
Many of you have stood by us through some incredibly difficult seasons — COVID, a devastating fire, 45 day mandatory shut down, construction surrounding the property that is expected to last another calander year and behind-the-scenes challenges that often felt impossible to navigate.
One of those realities has been an increasingly difficult operating environment, including struggles within our landlord relationship that made the future harder to sustain than we had hoped. We say this not from a place of blame, but simply honesty. Sometimes, despite your very best efforts, circumstances shift in ways that make hard decisions necessary.
Through all of it, we kept showing up and fighting because this place mattered deeply to us.
And while there are many moving parts that brought us here, we want this message to come from a place of gratitude, not sadness.
We are incredibly proud of what Average Joe’s became.
For 16 years, we gave this everything we had. We created jobs, hosted fundraisers, celebrated milestones, supported live local music, cheered on our teams, and built something rooted in community. That is something no circumstance can take away.
To our staff — past and present — thank you for standing beside us, working long nights, sharing laughs, surviving chaos, and becoming family.
To every band, performer, fundraiser organizer, sports team, Riverside neighbour, regular customer, and friend who walked through our doors — thank you for choosing us.
Thank you for the memories. Thank you for believing in us.
Most importantly, we don’t want this to feel like goodbye forever.
While this chapter is coming to a close, this is not the end of Average Joe’s — only a pause.
Sometimes life asks you to step back, regroup, and make difficult decisions so something meaningful has the chance to grow again in a different way, at a different time.
The spirit of Average Joe’s — the community, the laughter, the music, the friendships, and the memories - is far too special to disappear forever.
So instead of goodbye, we’ll simply say: see you later.
From the bottom of our hearts - thank you for 16 unforgettable years.
With love and gratitude,
The Average Joe’s Family ❤️
Before we press pause, we’d love one more day together.
Please join us this Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. as we celebrate the memories and the community that made Average Joe’s what it is.
Come raise a glass and help us close this chapter surrounded by the people who made it what it is today before we hit pause.
We’d truly love to see you. ❤️
