Double Par Golf & Bar, an indoor golf simulator and sports bar in the Oceana area of Virginia Beach, has closed its doors. Owners Cliff Mixon and Crystal Mixon announced the decision in a statement, thanking customers and staff for believing in their vision.
“We wish our story had a different ending. while our time was much shorter than we had hoped, we are forever grateful for everyone who gave us a chance and supported our little dream,” the Mixons said, according to WAVY.com. The couple thanked the customers and staff members who had supported Double Par since it opened.
A Spot Built for Golf, Food and Community
Double Par described itself as a year-round gathering place where golf, food, sports and community came together, according to the business's own about page. The business emphasized that it was locally owned and built specifically for the area, and that it was not a private club, open to anyone looking for a casual night out.
The venue offered premium Golfzon simulators along with other games designed for both beginners and experienced golfers, according to the business's website. That mix of indoor golf and bar-and-grill atmosphere had positioned Double Par as a family-friendly option in the Oceana area of Virginia Beach, Virginia, a niche distinct from the traditional restaurants and bars that dot the city.
Part of a Broader Wave of Closures
Double Par's shutdown adds to a string of recent closures across Virginia Beach and the wider Hampton Roads region. Restaurants ranging from local spots to national chains have been closing recently for a variety of reasons, according to WTKR. Virginia Beach Restaurant Association board member Bill Dillon told the station that closures for local restaurants often come down to a mix of factors, including staffing, rising costs and personal decisions.
Dillon also pointed to shifting consumer habits as a pressure point for the industry. “People are eating out less, so they say alright I'm not going to go to the place down the street as much because I can't afford it,” he said, per the same WTKR report.
Other recent closures in the area include a longtime Virginia Beach BBQ corner mart, according to WAVY.com, as well as Amazing Glazed, O's and Baked Bistro & Pizza, which shut down in Hampton Roads, as reported by The Virginian-Pilot. In Chesapeake, a restaurant and music venue also announced it would permanently close the nightclub portion of its business, a move that sparked online debate, according to Yahoo News.
No information has been made available about why Double Par Golf & Bar closed or when the shutdown took effect. For now, the Mixons' statement stands as the final word on a business they built from the ground up in the Oceana area, leaving behind a community of regulars who found a home on the simulator greens.
