Pioneering Wellington craft beer bar Hashigo Zake to close

Sunday, 25 February 2024

The owners of Wellington beer bar Hashigo Zake are closing the doors for good on March 8, saying major Wellington Water roadworks were the last straw after years of struggle.

Hashigo Zake opened in 2009 in the basement of the heritage-listed former police station on Taranaki St.

Owner Dominic Kelly said their goal was always “to energetically source beer in styles and from producers that consumers in Wellington had rarely, if ever, seen before”.

“We helped energise the New Zealand craft beer scene and inspire the launch of dozens of breweries in the decade that followed.”

In 2011 Hashigo Zake also started hosting regular music gigs and developed a reputation as one of Wellington’s best venues for jazz, blues and similar styles.

The owners said trading has been tough in recent years especially since the onset of the pandemic.

Other twists of fate have taken their toll. A year ago the pump taking wastewater away from the basement location failed, forcing the bar to close for 10 days.

There were also “massive plumbing bills”, with no assistance from the insurer or landlord.

“Though we remain grateful to those who bought Beerer Bonds to help us through that time.”

Streetside infrastructure works have also had an impact.

“Half a year later Wellington Water, with no warning, started digging up Taranaki St right outside our premises to build a new sewer and they’re still here.”

Meanwhile the working population of the immediate neighbourhood was a fraction of what it was four years ago, Kelly said.

“Any one and maybe even two of these crises might have been survivable for us prior to 2020, but in 2024 the cumulative effects of these blows and this decade’s other challenges mean that too much damage has been done and we have to cease trading.”

In an emailed statement on Sunday, Wellington Water confirmed the work in northern Taranaki St, outside the venue, was a new rising main pipe. Work outside the bar was now coming to an end but the wider project was scheduled to end mid-year.

“All the businesses affected by this work were notified in advance of the works starting in August 2023 and received letters directly,” the statement said.

“The project has been well documented on Wellington City Council and Wellington Water’s websites and social media channels.”

Signs had also been installed to tell people that Hashigo Zake Bar was still open for business.

“We acknowledge that the works have impacted local business and we are doing everything we can to help minimise this through informing the public.”

The bar’s owners have decided that March 8 will be their last day of business.

They said up until then they plan to trade as usual “but with a few differences”.

They have some rare and special bottled beer in stock that typically sells very slowly, so every day from Monday they will choose two bottles and offer 100ml servings.