Stella's Music Club FB
The pandemic has claimed its first independent music venue victim in Cleveland.
Stella's Music Club announced yesterday that it's closed its doors:
"We are so saddened to say that as of today, Stella’s will be shutting it’s doors. We cannot express enough how grateful and honored we are that we got to spend time with you, rock out with you, laugh with you. We will miss our Stella’s family so much."
Stella's, located in the old Cooperstown spot across from Progressive Field, was one of Cleveland's newest stages, opening its doors in August 2018. It played host to hundreds of shows since then, mostly catering to local bands.
Independent music venues have been particularly affected by the ongoing pandemic, being among the first businesses to close and among the few still not operating in any significant capacity due to mass gathering limitations and travel restrictions.
Stella's is first casualty on the local music scene but it might not be the last. Owners of the Grog Shop, Happy Dog, Beachland, Music Box and others implored U.S. Senators to help #SaveOurStages earlier this month, warning that without federal help in the form of the Save Our Stages bill currently awaiting a vote in the Senate, they could permanently close as soon as the end of the summer.
The bipartisan bill would provide $10 million in funding for six months of short-term economic relief to independent music venues around the country. Aid would be provided to venue operators (and staff, by extension) and promoters.
“The warning light is flashing red and our only hope is for legislation like Save Our Stages Act or RESTART Act to be passed before Congress goes on August recess," Dayna Frank, president of NIVA and CEO of First Avenue Productions, said in a statement in July. "Otherwise, most businesses in this industry will collapse."
You can read Stella's full Facebook message below.
