Though the rebranding effort was virtuous, Virtue remained plagued by The Spot and its debts.
Kingston nightclub, Virtue, shut its doors permanently, confirming the closure in an Instagram post on Jan. 30. The news comes weeks after employees publicly stated the business owed them thousands of dollars in unpaid wages.
In January, multiple staff members alleged Virtue hadn’t paid them consistently since October. The Journal reached out to General Manager Tim McCargar and Owner Jordan West but didn’t receive a response in time for publication.
In a statement to The Journal on Jan. 9, West acknowledged the business was struggling to cover its operating costs since the pandemic. He cited “a debt load previously established by its previous business management during these periods,” which caused financial strain for the club.
READ MORE: Barbie night at Virtue advertised in residences
The Spot, also owned by West, closed in December 2022 after a 14-year-long tenure on Division Street. Virtue replaced it in July.
According to an interview with McCargar, Virtue represented a new beginning for the location.
“It was decided by the new team The Spot Nightclub needed to be put to rest. Virtue is operated by a new management team,” McCargar said in an email to The Journal in September.
Despite attempts at rebranding, Virtue retained some of The Spot’s modus operandi.
In September, Virtue hired a student-led promoting agency and advertised events within first-year residences. Management maintained that Virtue was a 19+ venue, even though roughly 90 per cent of first-year students were 18 years or younger on the first day of fall term.
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