Hootie’s Good Times

West Broad St. bar will close tonight

Cafe in Pawcatuck to close its doors after tonight.

“I will absolutely miss it . ... I will miss the people. I have met some of the best people I’ve ever met here.” BRIAN HARRISON, OWNER OF HOOTIE’S GOOD TIMES CAFE

Stonington — Hootie’s Good Times Cafe, an iconic part of the downtown Pawcatuck-Westerly bar scene for close to a decade, will close after last call tonight.

Owner Brian Harrison, who bought the bar 9½ years ago, said he had decided to sell the business so he can help care for his ailing father.

“This won’t be an easy thing to let go but family comes first,” he said.

The West Broad Street bar is located to the rear of the Elm Tree Inn.

Harrison said he has a couple of buyers interested in the bar and is waiting to hear back from them. As no sale has taken place yet, there will be a period of time in which Hootie’s is closed. The bar employs 11 people.

Harrison, a Pawcatuck native and Stonington High graduate, said he tried to create an “old-school hometown bar” where anyone could come in to play pool or darts, have a drink and get something to eat.

The bar had a bit of a negative reputation when Harrison took over, but he said he tried to “make a lot of changes for the good,” such as upgrading the menu and doing a lot of volunteer work in the community.

Police Capt. Todd Olson said Friday that Harrison was “always willing to work with us to make things safer in the downtown.”

Harrison called running the bar “the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

“I will absolutely miss it. I won’t miss the hours, though,” he said, chuckling. “I will miss the people. I have met some of the best people I’ve ever met here.”

Harrison said he thinks his patrons are more upset about the closing than he is.

“People are sad to see it go. They see it ending but I tell them it will be like when I bought it. Someone will come in and make changes,” he said.

Harrison said the bar has a core group of employees and customers who are involved in its charitable efforts and he expects that work will continue.

As for his future, Harrison said he is exploring several opportunities with friends.