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Breakaway, located at 221 Newbury Street in Danvers, will be closing at the end of 2022, owner Joe Crowley said on Facebook.
The venue, which used to be under the name Village Green, has been open for six years as Breakaway, a source tells Daily Voice. Crowley said he spent those turning the business around.
"I’ve never done anything without giving 100% of myself to it. Breakaway required every bit of that plus some," he wrote. "It has been an incredible accomplishment that I will forever be grateful."
That effort was felt by many patrons who used to frequent the space before and after Crowley took over.
"It was a dying business and he brought it back to life," one patron told Daily Voice. "It's too bad."
Similar to many other live entertainment venues, Breakaway struggled to keep its doors open during the pandemic. This along with several personal reasons pushed Crowley to close up shop.
"The past 3 years I have had to reflect on life after watching Covid destroy so much, losing my Dad, my hero, and almost losing my own life in 2020," he said. "I realized that I can no longer give 100% to Breakaway. It is with a huge sense of accomplishment that we will be saying goodbye on NYE this year."
After hearing the news, other loyal patrons reminisced about their various experiences at Breakaway while thanking Crowley for giving the business his all.
"Breakaway has been my favorite place to play and hangout for many years," musician Danny McCarthy commented on Crowley's post. "Thank you to Joe and the great Breakaway staff for giving young musicians like myself a safe enthusiastic environment to play and grow."
"Breakaway was a huge undertaking and there was nobody more able than you to take on the disaster that it used to be," another person commented. "You literally gave your life to Breakaway and that can't be forgotten. We were there with you from day 1 for you and we'll be there for you at the end. Best of luck my friend."
People looking to have one last hurrah at Breakaway can buy tickets for the venue's "New Year's Even with Back to the 80's" party, scheduled for Dec. 31 from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.
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