By 1808Delaware
After more than two decades on North Sandusky Street, Old Bag of Nails Pub will close its Downtown Delaware location following business on Sunday, October 11. The company announced the decision Tuesday evening, saying it had been unable to reach a long-term agreement with the building’s landlord.
“It’s with a heavy heart we announce that our last day open in Downtown Delaware will be Sunday October 11th,” the company said in its announcement. “We are unable to reach a long-term agreement with the landlord that would allow us to continue operations.”
The pub encouraged residents to visit during its final week and support the restaurant’s staff. The closing ends a 22-year run at 66 N. Sandusky Street, where Old Bag of Nails opened in 2004.
Long-Term Certainty Was The Issue
The Delaware location’s original 20-year lease expired in 2024, according to Columbus Business First. Since then, the restaurant has been operating under a month-to-month arrangement. Abigail Stellern, vice president of strategy and growth for Old Bag of Nails, told the publication that the company had hoped to secure a new long-term lease but was unable to reach an agreement with the landlord.
The circumstances make the closing notably different from the disappearance of a struggling restaurant. Old Bag of Nails has indicated that it still sees value in the Delaware market.
A Building Already Looking For Its Next Chapter
The restaurant property itself has been on the commercial real estate market. The 6,651-square-foot building is currently listed for sale at $1.7 million and is also being offered for lease at $18 per square foot annually. Commercial marketing materials describe the property as a fully built-out restaurant and bar with a large central bar, commercial kitchen space, outdoor patio and dedicated parking. The property listing also describes the Delaware operation as the fourth-ranked Old Bag of Nails location in the chain.
The building dates to 1920 and occupies a highly visible downtown location within walking distance of Ohio Wesleyan University and the heart of Sandusky Street. Its latest commercial listing was updated in September, only weeks before the restaurant announced its departure.
Questions About The Property Date Back To 2024
The future of the Delaware Old Bag of Nails has been uncertain for some time. The property was publicly offered for sale in early 2024, shortly before the restaurant’s original lease was scheduled to expire. At the time, Old Bag of Nails indicated that it hoped to remain in Delaware even though the building’s ownership and future tenancy were unresolved. The restaurant ultimately remained open for more than two additional years under the month-to-month arrangement. That period now comes to an end Sunday.
More Than A Restaurant Closing
For Downtown Delaware, the departure removes one of the district’s longer-running dining establishments. Old Bag of Nails arrived in 2004, before the current concentration of restaurants and entertainment businesses had fully developed along Sandusky Street and nearby downtown blocks. Over the following two decades, the pub became a familiar part of the district’s restaurant landscape. The company thanked both its employees and the community for more than 20 years of support.
“Our staff and the Delaware community” were singled out in Tuesday’s announcement, which also invited patrons to return during the final days of operation.
A Return Is Still Possible
The company has not closed the door on Delaware entirely.
“Should an opportunity present itself for an Old Bag of Nails Pub in Delaware in the future, we would be happy to return,” the company said.
For now, however, the focus turns to the final days at 66 N. Sandusky Street and to what comes next for a prominent downtown restaurant space that has housed the same tenant for more than two decades. Old Bag of Nails’ posted hours show the Delaware pub open from noon to 9:00 PM on Sundays, making Sunday evening the final scheduled service for the downtown location.
