Whitney’s in Harvard Square is closing at the end of the month after more than 70 years in business, according to a press release on Friday sent out by Whitney’s.
Owner Dan McGuire said the bar was handed an eviction notice by landlord Mayhaw, LLC because of the bar’s “daytime noise level” being an issue.
According to the press release, Whitney’s ownership was notified about their eviction back in June, and in those six months McGuire tried to remediate the noise issue with the landlord before the restaurant and bar was given a final eviction notice of Dec. 31.
“Whitney’s has always played music in accordance with our entertainment license, and we have never had to meet with the City of Cambridge and its license commission for any noise complaint,” McGuire, owner of Whitney’s for six years, said in the press release. “We’re beginning to think ‘noise’ truly cannot be the reason for wanting us to leave, and leave in such a hurry, after our repeated assurances that we would keep the volume down.”
In a statement received from other news outlets, Mayhaw’s attorney Lori A. Drayton said the eviction notice was actually handed out over the bar’s “failure to pay any rent since October 2023, not due to any noise issues.” Boston.com reached out to Drayton for a statement and more information but didn’t hear back in time for publication.
