The Salt Lake City cider bar Weathered Waves — which faced criticism for its owner’s declaration that it was an “anti-Zionist” space — has closed, amid an ongoing dispute with its landlord.
The bar, owned by former Salt Lake City mayoral candidate Michael Valentine, posted Sunday on Instagram that it was the bar’s last day at its location in The Gateway shopping center, and that Sunday marked the “end of an era, beginning of something better.”
The post said the bar had 13 more years on its lease at 158 S. Rio Grande St., but that alleged “anti-business practices” by its landlord, Vestar, had forced Weathered Waves out early.
“We’re [going to] set sail and build a bigger and better place elsewhere ...,” the post said. When asked about his future plans on Wednesday, Valentine declined to answer questions, referring to a news release Weathered Waves issued in September.
In that release, Valentine said Vestar had terminated Weathered Waves’ lease in “retaliation” for speaking publicly about Vestar’s “harassment” and “sabotage” of the bar. Valentine also said in the release that Vestar’s actions had cost the bar at least $300,000 in lost revenue in 2024.
A spokesperson for Vestar declined to comment on Valentine’s allegations in September, citing ongoing litigation.
In May, Vestar filed a complaint against Weathered Waves in the Third Judicial Court of Salt Lake County, alleging that the bar was overdue on rent and had violated its lease by changing its name without its approval. At the time, Valentine told The Salt Lake Tribune that he was up to date on his rent payments, and that he and Vestar had a “verbal agreement” to change the bar’s name.
The complaint also said Vestar served Valentine a three-day notice to pay or vacate on May 7; Valentine said he never got it.
Valentine and Weathered Waves became the subjects of attention and an investigation from the Utah Attorney General’s office in March, after the bar posted a “No Zionists Allowed” decree on Instagram, saying Zionism was “hate speech.” The investigation found no evidence of discrimination.
On Wednesday, Rabbi Avremi Zippel posted on X about the bar’s closure, saying, “Perhaps hate isn’t the most effective business strategy.”
Michelle Schmitt, spokesperson for the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services, said Valentine had requested and was approved a temporary closure on his bar license. Valentine has also applied for a location change, and that application is still under review, Schmitt said.
Regarding the space made available by Weathered Waves’ departure, a spokesperson for Vestar said, “The Gateway is entertaining interest from several interested parties for the space, and we look forward to being able to announce a new merchant as soon as we are able to do so.”
