The New World Tavern, faced with mounting financial and legal problems, is closing permanently on Sunday, creating a void in the downtown restaurant scene and leaving the town without a key music venue.
The restaurant, owned by Karl Heine for 14 years, announced the impending shutdown in a Friday Facebook post.
“We are writing this to you with a heavy heart- & unfortunately The New World Tavern’s era will be coming to an end,” it said. “We want to thank current & past employees for making NWT what it is.”
The restaurant also thanked the many musicians who have played at the Main Street venue over the years, as well as its customers.
“We hope to see everyone this weekend all weekend,” the post said. “Come party with us one last time!”
The closing comes on the heels of the town filing for an injunction to compel Heine to install a new grease trap and a conversation between him and Public Health Director Karen Keane Thursday about how he could comply with the regulations governing grease traps that apply to all restaurants on the town’s sewage system.
But much bigger troubles loomed, most notably a delinquent state meals tax bill that has grown to more than $132,000.
Heine, who did not respond to a request for comment, is among many restaurant owners grappling with the economic realities of a decline in tourism, fewer young customers ordering multiple alcoholic beverages, higher prices for goods, and a shortage of workers.
There have been other hurdles for Heine and his business, too.
In December, the restaurant temporarily lost its liquor license just before the holidays because Heine was selling liquor without liability insurance in place, something that is required by law.
It was the second time Heine had let his insurance lapse in 2024. The Select Board in August of that year was considering suspending his license – after town officials inexplicably claimed they had tried for eight months to obtain proof that Heine had liquor liability insurance. But he finally did offer proof of coverage at that time and was allowed to stay open.
On Aug. 9 of this year, a Saturday, the kitchen was closed. Heine said he wanted to give kitchen employees a break from the heat. The next weekend, the entire restaurant was closed. That time, Heine said he wanted to give employees a break before Labor Day, after which business typically picks up.
In his own Facebook post Friday afternoon, Speedwell Tavern owner Jordan Chabot – known as a champion of downtown restaurants – wrote a eulogy of sorts for New World Tavern and offered praise for Heine.
“He fought tooth and nail to keep live music going… in TWO ROOMS at his restaurant,” Chabot wrote. “Even through the pandemic, he did whatever he could to make sure musicians were taken care of when most were too scared for their 4 walls to care.”
“Karl wanted to build something, not just New World Tavern,” he continued. “And though he may be upset with me for writing this, because that’s who Karl is… it needed to be said and celebrated.”
“I want to remind you that this beautiful, active, thriving neighborhood does not happen without Karl taking a chance on you, Plymouth.”
Fred Thys can be reached at fred@plymouthindependent.org.