After Nine Years, Exposition Park Hangout Fallout Lounge Is Now Closed.

Late last night, the news broke on Fallout Lounge’s Facebook page: After a nine-year run in Exposition Park, the venerable hangout is now closed.

“We’ve decided to not renew our lease and are calling it quits in Expo Park area after 9 long and rewarding years,” Fallout’s ownership announced on their page, before thanking special contributors to the space and sharing a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote about the true meaning of success. “A very special thanks goes out to all the patrons, DJs, bands, open-mic’ers and bartenders that made the times fantastically enjoyable and amazingly memorable! The personal names to thank are too many to mention but a very warm thank you to all of you who really made Fallout Lounge such a fun place to be.”

It’s sad news, indeed, to a certain set of young Dallasites.

Sure, the past couple of years have been pretty hard on Fallout, as crowds have migrated more toward the reinvigorated Deep Ellum and toward a number of newer, trendy Knox-Henderson spots. But for a time there in 2008 and 2009, it was one of the most consistently busy and fun late-night dance spots in town, no matter the night of the week.

Crowds from various local scenes intermingled freely and danced uninhibitedly. Drinks were cheap and plentiful. Cigarettes could always be bummed among the friendly conversations out front.

It seemed every DJ in town played there at least once, happy to give up on the swankier digs of other, competing venues for the chance to play songs for the eager crowds built up by the likes of DJ G, Hot Flash (Genova, Killtron and Tony Schwa) and Keith P’s ever-popular goth night, Black Fridays.

Just the other day, a couple of friends and I waxed nostalgically about that time, deciding that we should return shortly. Seems we waited too long, unfortunately.

You’ll be missed, Fallout. For a long while there, you kind of ran this city.

(Hat tip.)

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