KNOXVILLE (WATE) - The Valarium and CiderHouse management announced on Friday night that the venues will be closing on Nov. 25.
Management made the announcement official on their website.
The closure is due to a new rule change from the TN Alcoholic Beverage Commission, which concerns the minimum amount of food an establishment must sell in relation to its gross sales. The venues said they were told they would be "fined, prosecuted, or subject to revocation procedure for not serving enough food."
"For a place that is an after dinner type spot, and a high volume social spot, we don't really sell a lot of food. We just don't meet those requirements," R. T. Baxter, the Valarium manager, said.
They also can not comply with the minimum number of days an establishment is required to be open per week.
"There aren't always bands coming around especially in the winter time or summertime, especially with festivals and holidays. They're just not always available, so it's hard to be open," Baxter said.
The Valarium and CiderHouse will not renew their ABC license when it expires on Nov. 24, and their last event will be Taboo on that night.
