Stone Balloon Says Goodbye

After 30-plus years, Newark, Del.’s 1,000-capacity Stone Balloon will close its doors December 17th with a performance from a reunited Tommy Conwell and The Young Rumblers.

Jim Baeurle, who has owned the venue for 13 years, said the city has changed its liquor laws, forcing the club to shut down.

“It’s basically made it impossible to continue its current use there,” Baeurle told Pollstar. “Over the past year and a half, I’ve gone and sought approval to tear the building down and build condominiums there.”

He has no plans to relocate the venue, saying it’s nearly impossible to attain nightclub licensing in the Newark area. Selling it is also out of the question.

“Even if I wanted to sell the business, there’s not many sane people out there who’d want to buy a nightclub given the state of how the town is treating liquor licenses,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Baeurle has offered an open invitation to Bruce Springsteen to come play the club before it’s shuttered. The Boss performed there in the ’70s.

— Mitchell Peters