Addison Moore

Bolos, rebranded in 2024 as Tonic at Bolos, opened in 2019 and has been a regular Thursday-night spot for Bowdoin students ever since. However, this July, a post to Bolos’ Facebook and Instagram accounts announced that the business would be taking a “pause.”

In an email to the Orient, owner Mike Jerome explained that the decision to temporarily close the business was driven by a desire to spend more time with his family and focus on other projects.

“After a really good run with Bolos, I just felt like it was the right time for me to move on,” Jerome wrote. “I’ve spent most of my adult life in restaurants, and right now I want to spend more time with my family and put some energy into a few other projects I’m working on.”

Jerome also expressed appreciation for the support he has received.

“I’m so grateful to everyone who supported Bolos over the years and especially the Bowdoin students who made the place what it was,” Jerome wrote. “We had a lot of fun and made a lot of great memories there!”

For Ford Clark ’27, Bolos has played a key role in upperclassmen cohesion.

“Pretty much every Thursday, you can expect most of the upperclassmen to at least be thinking about going, so it was just kind of a solid touch point where everybody could see each other at a given point during the week,” Clark said.

Ava Provenzo ’28 remarked that Bolos had a unique ability to bring together a diverse array of students.

“It gave the opportunity to … bring a bunch of different people together in one space that maybe you wouldn’t get at a social outing at Bowdoin,” Provenzo said. “A lot of the athletes are together, a lot of the non-athletes are together, and I feel like every Thursday everyone was just in one space.”

Bolos’ status as a popular student bar did not come without its issues. Many students noted the regular presence of Brunswick Police Department officers and instances of students facing repercussions for underage drinking and other complaints.

For students, the question remaining is what will replace Bolos.

To Provenzo, the off-campus nature of Bolos made it perfect for students without many commitments on Fridays to go out on Thursday night while allowing others to take it easy on campus. Provenzo proposed looking to other Maine Street establishments to take its place, including the Social Goose.

Social Goose owner Barry Hull expressed that he was sorry to see Bolos close, noting that it puts more pressure on the Social Goose as the only late-night spot on Maine Street. Still, Hull said the business is ready to welcome more Bowdoin students and is also interested in inviting Bowdoin student DJs and bands to play.

“Unlike Bolos, we have two spaces where things can be separated,” Hull said. “So if we decide to go that route, we could do Bowdoin night in the den, which is downstairs, and then leave the bar upstairs for the local patrons that want to stay out.”

Hull expressed caution given previous issues with underage drinking at Bolos. While he tries to allow those under 21 to spend time in the space, the bar has strict ID and student OneCard requirements for students to drink, and staff monitor closely for alcohol brought into the bar.

In response to Bolos’ closure, Director of Student Activities Nate Hintze said his office has begun efforts to revitalize Jack McGee’s Pub in Smith Union and extend its hours.

“We believe that there is interest and a need and desire for an on-campus hub,” Hintze said. “We’re working with Dining and [Assistant Director of Student Activities] Brandon [Rogers-Reed] and his group of students to specifically target a handful of Thursdays to really put a strong emphasis [on].”

The Pub put on its first Thursday night concert featuring Daisy World last Thursday, which drew close to 200 students by Hintze’s estimate. Hintze stressed that the Student Activities Office welcomes student input on future programming opportunities in the wake of Bolos’ closure.

Regarding what will become of the Bolos property, Jerome is unsure, but he hopes it will be something for students and the Brunswick community to enjoy.

“I’m not sure yet what [will] ultimately end up happening with the space, but I’d love to see something go in there that Bowdoin students and the Brunswick community can enjoy,” Jerome said. “I think it’s a great space with a lot of potential.”