The Temple Bar in Detroit is closed until further notice after a portion of the building collapsed Friday morning.
A bar employee said that a part of the wall collapsed around 10 a.m., sending debris tumbling down onto the sidewalk. The falling blocks also damaged the overhang above the business’s front door.
When a Metro Times reporter arrived around noon, access to the building was blocked off with yellow caution tape.
The worker says the part of the wall “just fell over” for no apparent reason. Nobody is believed to be hurt.
The owner of the beloved LGBTQ+ dive bar could not be reached for comment.
Known as a DJ night hotspot, Temple Bar had plans for a Friday evening party to coincide with this weekend’s Movement Music Festival. The event, a fundraiser for the Underground Music Academy, was to feature sets by Shigeto, Beewack, DJ Caro, Kandylion, and more. By Friday evening, organizers had relocated it to Donovan’s Pub.
The bar opened nearly a century ago in 1927 under the father of the current owner. A long-standing business in a part of Detroit that has seen rapid development in recent years, it had freshened up its facade with a fresh coat of red paint last year.
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This article appears in May 22-28, 2024.