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Longtime Pioneer Square pub closes suddenly after 23 years

Jul 28, 2026, 3:47 PM

Pioneer square bar close...

A member of the bar staff pours a pint of beer. (Photo: Jack Taylor, Getty Images)

(Photo: Jack Taylor, Getty Images)

A Pioneer Square bar, Collins Pub, abruptly closed for good on Friday after 23 years — despite the FIFA World Cup recently flooding the neighborhood with visitors.

Collins Pub’s permanent closure came without warning, as there was no public announcement and the reasoning for shutting has yet to be revealed, according to The Puget Sound Business Journal.

Collins Pub was located at 526 Second Avenue and operated out of the bottom of the century-old Collins Building since 2003.

“We’re going to miss Collins Pub, as will many people across Seattle,” Lisa Howard, executive director of Alliance for Pioneer Square, told The Puget Sound Business Journal. “Running a small business for more than two decades is no small feat, and Collins became part of the fabric of the neighborhood. We’ll cherish the memories made there and wish the team the very best.”

Pioneer Square pub had long been a fixture in the neighborhood

Collins Pub’s departure comes just weeks after a massive influx of foreign travelers descended on downtown Seattle for the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup.

The local pub was known for its ever-changing craft beer offerings and bar food menu, but had been a neighborhood staple for years before the World Cup made its way to Seattle.

“[Collins Pub] is a real loss, but Pioneer Square remains a dynamic and resilient neighborhood, and we’re encouraged as others continue to invest and grow here,” Lisa Howard told The Puget Sound Business Journal.

Collins Pub was owned and operated by Seth Howard, who is involved with several other business ventures across Seattle, including Draft Punk Bottle Shop, Last Drop Bottle Shop, and Hudson Public House, which has since closed.

Seth Howard also played a role in a group that brought back a staple University District bar, the College Inn Pub, in 2021. That pub is currently operating with a new owner, who took on a massive renovation project for the bar’s interior.

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