Varsity Grille on Route 1 closes

The era of trivia Wednesdays and karaoke Fridays are over as Varsity Grille closed its doors for the last time Sunday evening.

The traditional college sports bar ended its run just two years after emerging on the Route 1 scene. And the restaurant's loyal trivia buffs and happy hour crowd aren't the only ones surprised — the closure came as a shock to the restaurant's owners, as well.

Varsity Grille co-owner Jim McGinnis said his landlord informed him late last week the property was under contract by a high rise housing developer and he had just three days to clear the premises.

Joining the ranks of its failed predecessors, Varsity Grille was empty by Monday as the owners loaded all of the televisions, wall hangings and other personal items into moving trucks.

Bad business was never the problem, McGinnis said, adding that the restaurant and bar had seen steady sales increases since its opening.

McGinnis said he and his business partners were planning to purchase the restaurant themselves but had difficulty securing financing. After discovering floodplain, or foundation prone to flooding by water beneath it, on the property, their lender backed out of the deal, he said.

"If people want wall to wall high rise, we can't compete with that," he said. "It was a developer coming in and offering a big number to take the property, and our pockets are only so deep."

Known for its sit-down atmosphere, big screen televisions playing university sports games and popular trivia and live music nights, Varsity Grille had built up a strong base of supporters looking for an alternative to the bar scene downtown.

Students were disappointed and surprised to hear the restaurant closed.

"Damn. Really? Damn," freshman kinesiology major Jimmy Sheptock said after hearing the news. "Cornerstone and all that is closer, but Varsity Grille was a good change of scenery."
Former bartender and recent graduate Jill Giamfredi said the restaurant was consistently packed on home game days with a mix of students and alumni, and trivia night brought out an especially diverse crowd.

"All kinds of people showed up," she said. "We had a bunch of student teams, but then we also had families that would bring their kids and play."

Though he has talked to the city council about re-opening somewhere else in College Park, McGinnis said his options are limited. Still, he hasn't given up hope.

McGinnis said Varsity Grille's focus on the university and their sports teams was merely an extension of his own passions, and he will never give them up.

"I love Maryland. I love the whole campus, love the sports," he said. "I'm a diehard Maryland fan, Terp for life."

apino at umdbk dot com