WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — At New Brookland Tavern, the small venue has seen many big bands like Paramore and Black Veil Brides make a name for themselves. However, now music lovers are fighting for the venue to be able to keep their historic space.
"Ideally, we do want to stay here," explained New Brookland Tavern employee Carlin Thompson. "The landlord is not trying to push us out. The City of West Columbia has been great, and it's his right to sell the building."
New Brookland Tavern has been serving the local and alternative music scene for 20 years, but they recently found out that the years of mosh pits and stickers on the walls might have to find a new home.
So, in response, the community is stepping up to help save the music.
Next door to New Brookland Tavern, Hideout Coffee in WeCo has brought back their Black Banana Pudding Smoothie as the New Brookland Smoothie to help raise money for the venue.
"They welcomed us immediately onto State Street and made it clear, anything we needed, they were here for it. Sometimes because our ice machine is so small, we can't keep up on hot days, and they'll just bring us ice. We love them here but anywhere they go, we'll still love them," said Julia Wolff with The Hideout.
Forty percent of the proceeds from the smoothie will go toward helping New Brookland Tavern buy its building, which is listed at around $750,000.
The band, The Acacia Strain, also collaborated with them for a new t-shirt design with 300 pre-orders for $25 per shirt.
As of Friday evening, the venue has raised more than $32,000 on GoFundMe toward their $250,000 goal.