CAMDEN — The Smokestack Grill is done. On a 70-degree afternoon, Oct. 17, staff and friends of the Smokestack Grill in Camden were clearing out the contents of the bar, carting equipment out of the front door past stacked bar stools.

Smokestack Grill is on the first floor of a building on Mechanic Street, which overlooks the Megunticook River and waterfall. Co-owners and brothers, Zachary and Seth Cohn started the bar and restaurant in 2009. Prior to the Smokestack Grill, Sea Dog Brewing Company operated in the space during the MBNA days. And like Sea Dog, Smokestack had a large bar hosting both live music and DJs.

Beginning in 2004, real estate developers began converting Building Six, part of the Knox Mill into 26 condominiums, complete with roof decks and gardens. Over the course of the Smokestack’s run, noise complaints from residents of the neighborhood continued to dog the business. In an Aug. 7, 2012 Camden Select Board meeting, Chairperson Martin Cates said  it was unfortunate that the Knox Mill condominium owners did not know the bar existed when they bought their units.

He said that the Board had discussed the right of businesses to exist and expressed a concern about setting a precedent by telling businesses how to operate. As a compromise, the owners erected noise-reduction curtains when bands and DJs played. See that story here. 

The Knox Mill directly above the Smokestack sold last spring, and former offices have been converted to residential apartments. According to the Camden Town Office, no permits have been received for any new enterprise to fill the space. A permit application for any use by the mill’s owner would be necessary, per the ordinance.

Still, the ever-evolving nature of the Midcoast restaurant scene has claimed another local hangout, and some might even say — the last of the gritty bars.

Bartender Kristen Wallace took a few moments out helping the owners move out of the space.

“We’re definitely sad; it’s the end of an era for sure,” she said. “It’s been a good long run. The camaraderie of the staff is what I’ll miss most and the customers’ became family. We had a lot of fun during the Toboggan Races.”

Former employee Alex Schellhaas was also on hand to help out.

“After Gilbert’s closed, the guys who used to arrange the live music open mics came here to see if we could keep that going and we did,” he said. “It’s a nice space for music. It’s really cool inside.”

On Saturday night, the local band 2 Dollar Pistol played and the place was rocking with the Camden-Rockport High School Class of 1981, which just so happened to have scheduled its class reunion there.

It was pure ‘stack: noisy, friendly, unpretentious, and full of familiar faces.

Sunday night was the last night open.

“The customers were really sad, all the regulars,” Schellhall said. “It’s done; they don’t know what they’re going to do.”

Staff can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com