I think all of the Weddingbee readers at the time held their breath with Mrs. Squid and the ReBar debacle! An update from so many couples and their happy endings after such a disaster was so nice to see!
~Mrs. Narwhal
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Eight months ago on a Friday morning like any other, I received news that our original wedding venue, reBar, unexpectedly shut down citing bankruptcy. Actually, I have someone in the hive to thank for alerting me to reBar?s closing—the news broke on Gothamist, an online newspaper I don?t usually read. In the days and weeks immediately following their closing, I shared with you my anger and sadness, my saving grace that was wedding insurance, and the conflicted feelings I had when we booked our new venue. What I didn?t share with you are the details that eventually emerged, the real reason reBar closed up shop, what became of its scumbag owner, and the fabulous weddings that happened even in the face of devastating loss. And while I?m waiting on professional photos, now is as good a time as any, right"
Image via Gothamist

The real reason reBar shut down" Not bankruptcy. The owner, Jason Stevens, had been committing tax evasion for several years to the tune of $1.4 million. Word on the street is that the IRS was onto Stevens and were coming to shut reBar down. Instead of facing the music, Stevens gathered the cash in the tills and the wedding deposit checks waiting to be cashed, and fled in the middle of the night. (Particularly blood boil...