Kalamazoo Residents Respond To The Y Bar Closing

For years now bars and clubs have made their way into the west side of Kalamazoo and looking to park themselves on Western Michigan University's campus to maximize their profits. They are able to appeal to college students that have made Kalamazoo their new home but still draw interest from longtime residents of the city. The issue is that the meshing of their groups could prove to be dangerous.

Over the last few years, the Y bar and Bistro has become a popular location for Bronco students and others who live in the area to enjoy a night out with good music, adult beverages, and time with their friends. They often find themselves in the parking lot of the bar, enjoying each other's company and music, but sometimes a crime is committed. Due to the uptick in crime, owners within the area are looking to do something about it.

After reports of 17 hit-and-runs, 15 weapons calls, and six shots fired incidents between January of 2021 to last week, the owner of Campus Pointe Mall is looking to make changes to reduce the crime and loitering rates at the strip mall. They believe the Y bar is connected to some of these crimes the owner has decided to close the bar down and look for new management.

They have been closing the parking lot of the strip mall on weekend nights and that has been helping with the efforts but is also hurting other businesses in the area. The next step was done earlier this week as they announced the official closing of the Bistro and acknowledged that they are open to new business offers.

The owners of the Y bar and their regular customers and visitors have been voicing their gratitude for the space while also explaining that it's a bittersweet goodbye. Below are some of the social media posts about the event.

We have no clue what is coming next but of course, all of the usual suspects are up first on the list. What would you like to see replace the Y Bar and Bistro?