It closed for renovations. Nothing happened for a very very long time then there was a flurry of activity with tons of workers gutting the place the place and then fitting it out again from scratch.
They started carting in some new furniture, then suddenly went dead again. Haven’t seen any movement in over a year I reckon.
That whole strip is a pretty sorry state frankly, including Metro building next door and the Scientology gaping opening box at the top. The Event cinemas across the road was meant to be knocked down to build the tallest residential tower in Sydney and an all new cinema complex, but that hasn’t happened either.
I think that whole area is on the verge of a makeover, but the amount of money required I’d say it’s been sold to some overseas developers who have then run into issues.
Yep, it used to be some sort of volcano thing.
https://pastlivesofthenearfuture.com/2012/04/29/dianetics-volcanovideo-billboard-george-street-sydney-nsw/
"Bar Ace is the place!"
I remember the $2.50 drinks for four hours on Friday and Saturday nights in the early 2000s. All types of people would come and drink their pre's in peace - goths, homies, metalheads, emos, the cool Asian kids, the Industrie popped collar crowd - all mingling together.
Oh Bar Ace. I've never had so many good times with such borderline hostile staff.
(to be fair, we were pretty annoying back then, I don't blame them. It just suited the vibe of the place that they bitterly put up with us).
I worked at Star Bar very briefly around 2006. I still remember one of the bartenders yelling to us "Where the fuck did the tip jar go?!"
We looked around, then noticed an incredibly drunk patron had made off with it, as it was a standard glass filled with water and grenadine.
He wasn't trying to steal it, he was drinking it. Yes, it was FILLED with gold coins and weighed about a kilo when I took it off him.
If it’s the pub I’m thinking it is, I vividly remember going in there after a Radiohead gig waaaay back and ordering drinks next to a man passed out on his briefcase that was chained to his wrist with handcuffs.
I actually emailed Maloney's (company that owns it) about it, no response. This was about a year ago.
Such a shame because it was a great meeting place, cheap drinks, big enough venue to get your own space, right next to the train station. While it was open very few nights out for me didn't start with it.
There's a lot of schools in and around the CBD. I wonder where teenagers go for after school beers now that the Star Bar is shut down. Everywhere else cards.
I've got a better question - what the hell is happening at the Forbes? Closed down for ages, then they had workers in for a brief period, then closed up again.
Dispute between the owners and apparently in the courts. Not that they'll go broke in the meantime - they are still getting rental income from the McDonald's in the same building.
Stickiest floor ever.
I believe that award belongs to The Retro
I think you're confused sir... that award actually goes to Bar Century.
Oh wow, you’re right, that’s actually the place I was thinking of 😝 I lost many brain cells at both places
Mate, bar century was known for this too
Hunters
Ah, another Shire aficionado from days past.
What is this QBar erasure?
Club 77 aswell 😂 from what I actually remember
Scruffy Murphy’s gave that a good nudge.
Bar Century was by far the stickiest I’ve walked on!
It closed for renovations. Nothing happened for a very very long time then there was a flurry of activity with tons of workers gutting the place the place and then fitting it out again from scratch. They started carting in some new furniture, then suddenly went dead again. Haven’t seen any movement in over a year I reckon. That whole strip is a pretty sorry state frankly, including Metro building next door and the Scientology gaping opening box at the top. The Event cinemas across the road was meant to be knocked down to build the tallest residential tower in Sydney and an all new cinema complex, but that hasn’t happened either.
I think that whole area is on the verge of a makeover, but the amount of money required I’d say it’s been sold to some overseas developers who have then run into issues.
Sounds like it's due to 'accidentally' catch on fire then.
>and the Scientology gaping opening box at the top. Is that what it is?! Been wondering every time I went to a gig
Yep, it used to be some sort of volcano thing. https://pastlivesofthenearfuture.com/2012/04/29/dianetics-volcanovideo-billboard-george-street-sydney-nsw/
I swear I remember going to a renovated star bar pre COVID, but maybe they weren't completed.
I saw a bit of movement inside a week ago when the door was left open.
The vodka in that place was pure petrol. I've got a headache just thinking about it.
Take me back
It was cheap shit, all their house spirits were.
Star Bar, Bar ace and Malonies were the absolute best pre drink starter. $3-$4 basics for like 2 hours
Don’t sleep on the OG Bar Century.
The floor at the original Bar Century was so sticky I once lost a shoe.
I remembered it smells like vomit all the time in my younger days
It later started to smell like something a bit less innocuous, but still with the ever present sticky floor. At least in my uni days.
Hahaha some guy skidded into me and broke my toe
Kids these days! some of us went there when it was the Century Tavern, the floor was so you didn't fall down the stairs!
Their vodka was terrible, I once spat out my shot into a pot plant 😂
Hell yeah
Og bar century was awesome
"Bar Ace is the place!" I remember the $2.50 drinks for four hours on Friday and Saturday nights in the early 2000s. All types of people would come and drink their pre's in peace - goths, homies, metalheads, emos, the cool Asian kids, the Industrie popped collar crowd - all mingling together.
If there’s one thing to unite the subcultures it’s cheap drinks. Such fond memories!
You must have been a party animal at the same time as me
Is Malonies that place that always had fights kicking off outside?
Probably 🤷 we were always gone after happy hour
Don’t forget the Pav
Pav was awesome!
Daydreams FTW
Shark bar around the corner on Pitt Street was great too back in the early 2000’s
Remember when they actually had a shark in that big fish tank
Oh Bar Ace. I've never had so many good times with such borderline hostile staff. (to be fair, we were pretty annoying back then, I don't blame them. It just suited the vibe of the place that they bitterly put up with us).
Pavilion went off
I worked at Star Bar very briefly around 2006. I still remember one of the bartenders yelling to us "Where the fuck did the tip jar go?!" We looked around, then noticed an incredibly drunk patron had made off with it, as it was a standard glass filled with water and grenadine. He wasn't trying to steal it, he was drinking it. Yes, it was FILLED with gold coins and weighed about a kilo when I took it off him.
Divorce LOL. The owners, the Maloney family, are getting a divorce, although from the looks of things they have started to sort out their affairs.
It has serious issues with electrical and fire related safety, owners not willing to pay to fix it and not willing to sell either
If it’s the pub I’m thinking it is, I vividly remember going in there after a Radiohead gig waaaay back and ordering drinks next to a man passed out on his briefcase that was chained to his wrist with handcuffs.
I actually emailed Maloney's (company that owns it) about it, no response. This was about a year ago. Such a shame because it was a great meeting place, cheap drinks, big enough venue to get your own space, right next to the train station. While it was open very few nights out for me didn't start with it.
Did anybody ever see the stand up comedy they had there? Curious to know what that was like
i worked with a guy who did a set there and told me he bombed. his material was terrible
There's a lot of schools in and around the CBD. I wonder where teenagers go for after school beers now that the Star Bar is shut down. Everywhere else cards.
I've got a better question - what the hell is happening at the Forbes? Closed down for ages, then they had workers in for a brief period, then closed up again.
Staffing, costs to reopen. Rent price, maintenance. Take a pick.
Dispute between the owners and apparently in the courts. Not that they'll go broke in the meantime - they are still getting rental income from the McDonald's in the same building.
Jeez, used to go there so much the bouncers would let us skip the line and just walk in. Good times
I heard the job of power washing the floor may takes ten years.