Financial problems force Appleton VFW to close its bar and restaurant for good

On Friday, the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Appleton is holding its final fish fry before closing its bar and restaurant for good.

“The bar and grill has been around for a lot of years, but at this point and time we don’t have enough revenue to maintain it. So we are shutting down the kitchen part and bar part effective today,” said Post Commander Wayne Martin.

Many post members at the VFW said the decision to close has been difficult to process.

“Years ago we would have a line out the door for our Friday fish fry, but over the years things changed and so we’re at the point where we can’t continue on,” Martin said. “We have a lot of post members that put their heart and soul in here and it makes it hard to see it close.”

But the decision to close the bar and restaurant didn’t happen overnight.

Joan Kruger, a longtime employee, said the changes in management over the years drove many customers away.

e6dbf6 aac6c4aca4684794851215d93ab14893 mv2

“It’s a shame that the people left us for reasons they shouldn’t have. My emotions are we did everything we could, but it’s a shame that they left us like that,” she said.

Kruger has been working here since 1966 and said while she’s sad to see this chapter in her life ending, she’ll always think back on the good times she’s had.

“The first time I started here I thought to myself, I get free food, I was so excited for free food,” Kruger said.

Now that the bar and restaurant is finally closing, volunteers like Kruger and other members of the organization said they can start doing more for veterans in the community.

“We want to thank the community for all the years that they came here and supported us and to remind them that Post 2278 is still going to be here and continue on with our missions,”said Commander Martin.

Article Written by Fox11 News https://fox11online.com/news/local/financial-problems-force-appleton-vfw-to-close-its-bar-and-restaurant-for-good

Photo Courtesy of Fox11 News

#TAGeX #Bar