Hemingway’s Cafe in Oakland served its last pitcher in the wee hours of Monday morning, ending its 43-year run in the heart of the University of Pittsburgh’s campus.
Last call came around 1 a.m. and was met with a round of applause. More than 50 customers were hanging on, soaking up as much of Hemingway’s as they could get before it was gone forever. About 45 minutes later, the last customer walked out of the bar’s double doors and onto Forbes Avenue.
“The thing I’ll miss is walking in and seeing everybody,” owner John Elavsky said.
Sales were fine, if a bit stagnant when Elavsky announced the closure in January, but he was mainly concerned about spending more time with his 99-year-old mother. She died in April, but Elavsky was still ready to step away from Hemingway’s, even if his customers weren’t.
“I feel like this was the last cool staple in Oakland,” said Pitt student Tia Douglas.
Nestled next to Litchfield Towers, Hemingway’s was known for its lively trivia nights and cheap “shot pitchers” with playful names like Cathy on Acid — as in the Cathedral of Learning — and the Kenny Spritz-ett, a nod to former Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett.
Students made up the bulk of Hemingway’s clientele, but alumni poured into the bar during its final months to say goodbye. Some came from as far as California, according to Mackenzie Brunton, the bar’s general manager.
“We’ve had a lot of people come in from out of town,” Brunton said. “I was very surprised by how big of a deal it was for everybody.”
The fate of the building is unknown. Elavsky is selling his liquor license, which can fetch about $100,000. Once everything is out of Hemingway’s, he suspects the property will be razed by the family that owns it.
For any diehards looking to visit one last time, Hemingway’s will be open Tuesday so customers can get their pictures off the wood-paneled walls. The bar’s pitchers, plates, glassware and televisions will be for sale in person. Beer signs and tap handles will be auctioned online with a Saturday pickup.
