I went to The Brewer’s Art just once, years ago, to meet up with some old high school friends. It seemed like the kind of place it would be cool to hang out in, with an obvious group of regulars that appeared to, in a “Cheers” sort of way, know everybody’s name.

When I returned in Baltimore in 2020, I kept hearing about it and thought, “I really ought to get back to that place.”

Now it’s too late. I wish I’d stopped in again.

The sudden closure this week of the iconic Mount Vernon brewpub amid financial issues shocked its fans and seems like one more piece of evidence of a worsening economy. Distraught patrons reminisced online about hot dates, about meeting their spouses. These comments were love letters to a place that was more than a business. There was a sense of community, of connections shared over a pint. When a spot that special to people disappears, all of that good stuff disappears, too.

You could always go someplace else, but it’s never quite the same. And with the general state of the world, we need more of that goodwill, not less.

This is not about guilt or not supporting a business — the folks in the comments said that The Brewer’s Art seemed to be packed all the time. It’s about recognizing the fleeting nature of businesses that form the bedrock of our city, and how their erasure can seem like a quake in that firmament. Baltimore is a bastion of tradition, of independent, unique places. And it’s heartbreaking when one goes away.

I have been in and around Baltimore my whole life, even when I wasn’t living here. And I’ve seen a lot of places come and go, from the big department stores like Hecht’s or classic restaurants like Highlandtown’s Haussner’s, one of my late father’s favorites and my introduction to white tablecloths. When I moved back, a friend took me for a drink on the roof of wine bar Off the Rox Wine, Beer, & Spirits, and pointed out an ornate stained glass window near the door with an “H” on it.

The “H,” it turns out, is for Haussner’s, which once stood on that spot. In its place is now Highland Haus Apartments, a condo and retail space whose businesses include Off The Rox. The window is memento of the long-gone restaurant. It was lovely to see, but I got really sad because I’ll never get to go there again and have a piece of pie in my dad’s honor. Sometimes things just close. Times change. Again, it just sucks when it happens.

For a while when I moved back, my favorite restaurant was Fells Point’s Duck Duck Goose, my go-to to take myself on a Mom’s Day Out without my kid. Like The Brewer’s Art, it closed quickly due to financial issues on the part of its owner. In that case, the owner also blamed the city itself for “safety concerns.” I had literally just been there the week before it shuttered.

Later, I stood on the cobblestones staring at the closed space, like I was willing it to come back. It didn’t.

Sigh.

I got so sad reading the comments of The Brewer’s Art regulars and those who will miss it. There’s something vital we lose when our favorites fade. It’s like shedding a part of ourselves that old photos and memories won’t replace.

This reminds me to consult that list I’ve been compiling of restaurants I’ve been meaning to visit but haven’t yet. I would hate to say I missed another special place before it’s gone.