Hawaii's oldest bar to close after 91 years

"In the historic Honolulu neighborhood of Chinatown, Hawaii's oldest watering hole, Smith's Union Bar, is likely to close, as its landlord is not renewing the lease. "It's been a long run," manager Chris Asuncion told Hawaii News Now. "The landlord decided it's time to close." The final closing date is unclear, but according to a social media post, the bar "will be open while supplies last," or until the liquor is gone."

"At a time when Honolulu held an enormous military presence during World War II, servicemen lined the streets of Chinatown to get a drink and let off steam. Smith's was one of those bars and calls itself the "watering hole to the crew of the USS Arizona," the battleship that later sank during the attack on Pearl Harbor. The bar, which looks like a submarine, memorializes crew members on its walls in framed photos."

"The Star-Advertiser reported that the closure is due to "safety, with an aging floor and building and crawl spaces underneath." "It's sad that the oldest bar in Hawaii is closing because the building owner doesn't want to fix a floor," Kevin Kato, a longtime patron of the bar, told the newspaper. "They want to close the place and just shut down the history.""

Smith's Union Bar, established in 1934 on Hotel Street in Chinatown, faces likely closure after its landlord chose not to renew the lease. Manager Chris Asuncion stated the landlord decided to close and the final closing date is unclear; a social media post said the bar will be open "while supplies last" or until liquor is gone. The bar served World War II servicemembers and identifies as the "watering hole to the crew of the USS Arizona," memorializing crew with framed photos and hosting reunions. Reported reasons for closure include safety concerns such as an aging floor and crawl spaces underneath.

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