There has been more than a little bit of chatter on Facebook over the past couple of days about Hilliards Lounge being closed at its location on 135th Avenue and 18th Street in Hopkins Township.
The bar was pitch dark Monday night and a visit paid Tuesday afternoon revealed a padlocked entrance and no signs of any activity inside.
Some people who identified themselves as patrons said the bar was open Sunday. There also is an announcement on Facebook that the Hilliards Lounge will be host to the last appearance of the season by the Williams Family on Fri
day and Saturday, April 22 and 23.
However, a majority of people who frequent the establishment have confirmed that the bar has closed. It comes on the heels of the closing Dec. 31 of the Hilliards General Store, leading one Facebook poster to comment that the little community directly west of Wayland is becoming a ghost town. It still has a public park with softball field, the Knights of Columbus Hall and the mobile home park.
There was no immediate comment from owners, but the bar’s Facebook page insisted that on April 12 it was celebrating its 34th anniversary.
What will re-open first, Hilliard’s Corner or the eternal under construction brew pub on Main Street in downtown Wayland? Guesses anyone?
As for where this article says ” the bar’s Facebook page insisted that on April 12 it was celebrating its 34th anniversary.” That’s not the official bar page, it’s a page “Hilliards Bar” that Eric didn’t keep up. It was Eric’s 34th birthday. The official Facebook page is “Hilliards Corner Lounge”, and that page has been stripped of all content, strangely enough.
Sad but true, change is inevitable. I used to love Hillards Corner olive burgers. I wonder where the Methodists from New Salem will gather for lunch after church.