Coglin's closes after 7 years in downtown Raleigh

"It was a dance party every single night at Coglin's. We played the greatest music from the 80s and 90s, we had incredible djs -- they knew how to throw a party that would bring you back in time," described Medford.

"In the face of COVID-19, Raleigh’s time machine fell victim to insufficient government aid, negligent leadership from elected officials and inequitable state policies. Out of money, and out of hope, the bar was forced to lay off over 25 employees and turn the lights off one final time," Medford said via a press release Monday announcing that the bar closed permanently on Dec. 31, 2020. "

Medford, North Carolina Bar & Tavern Association's board president, has been outspoken about Gov. Roy Cooper's executive orders involving the bar industry during the coronavirus pandemic.

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"When the pandemic began to spread across the country, Gov. Roy Cooper closed North Carolina’s nonessential businesses on March 17. Like other bars across the state, Coglin’s ceased operations immediately with the expectation that the governor would make every effort possible to ensure their survival. That trust proved to be misplaced," Medford wrote. "On May 20, Gov. Cooper and N.C. Health Secretary Mandy Cohen ordered that bars that generate less than 30 percent of their revenues from food must remain closed indefinitely; they reopened virtually all other businesses that served alcohol, from restaurants to wineries and breweries."

Coglin's did receive limited federal aid via Paycheck Protection Program in the spring to pay staff, but much federal aid could not be applied to rent, insurance and utility debts, Medford said.

"As days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, it became clear that the Cooper administration would never allow bars like Coglin’s Raleigh to reopen, even as churches and sports venues and strip clubs did," Medford wrote.

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"Ultimately, it was all too little too late. Like most bar owners across North Carolina, Coglin’s owners watched in horror as the debt skyrocketed, the doors remained closed and the staff remained furloughed," Medford wrote, noting that Coglin's back rent was nearly $100,000.

"I'm just so disappointed in Gov. Cooper. I think that, on day one, he wrote bars like us off for dead and he never looked back. He never did anything to help us. When he reopened restaurants, he could have at least allowed bars to operate on the outside d u ring the warmer months of the year back in May," said Medford.

In a statement, Gov. Cooper's office said "this has been a difficult time for many businesses and support from Congress have been long overdue. The governor is reviewing the federal relief package and continuing to find ways to provide support to small businesses that are struggling due to the pandemic."

Despite the closure, Medford said owners plan to one day reopen in a new location.