It's game over for Storm Crow Alehouse, as Vancouver's well loved 'nerd bar' closes

The Storm Crow Alehousein Vancouver,where patrons can grab a pint and play board games, is closing downas the pandemic, supply chain and staffing issues all take a toll on business, its owner says.

Jason Kapalka had already shuttered the Storm CrowTavern, the original locationon Commercial Drive, in 2020.

Now Kapalka says it's no longer possible to keep the Alehouse on West Broadway open, mostly due to issues linked to the pandemic.

"For restaurants, it's just beenoh boy, it's been really brutal," he said. "It was really hard. We've been thinking about this, to some degree, for the last two years."

Problemssuch as hiring staff, findingsupplies and construction for the SkyTrainexpansionhave all harmedbusiness, he said.

A decade ago Kapalka opened the Storm Crow Tavern on Commercial Driveas a unique, so-called nerd barwhere patrons could eat, drink and play from a large selection of board games. The Alehouse followed a few years later.

"It wasn't just some standard cookie-cutter pub," he said about both locations, which were readily supported and well loved by locals.

Jane McFadden with the KitsilanoWest 4th Business Improvement Association says many local businesses continue to struggle in the face of compounding obstacles, including the recent restrictions brought in to stem the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

"I think it will be a really long recovery, especially with this next round of COVIDrestrictions," she said.

She encourages people tosupport localbusinesses so they can make it through the pandemic.

Kapalkasays he'll continue to operate the Storm Crow Manor in Toronto, and he's not ruling out a return to Vancouver post pandemic.

"Hopefully we'll be back again somehow," he said.