A centerpiece bar is closing on Raleigh’s Glenwood South after 13 years
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- Cornerstone Tavern will close after this weekend, ending 13 years on Glenwood South.
- The space will become a new, undisclosed concept.
- Cornerstone gained attention in 2020 for defying bar closures during the pandemic.
A centerpiece of the Glenwood South nightlife scene will close after one more weekend in downtown Raleigh.
Cornerstone Tavern, the sprawling backyard bar in the heart of Glenwood, announced this week that it is closing after 13 years in business.
Living up to its name, Cornerstone is one of the signature pieces on Glenwood South, a hot spot hub for Friday and Saturday party-goers. The bar is owned by nightclub mogul Dan Lovenheim, who has numerous bars in Raleigh and Charlotte and also owns Rockingham Speedway.
“We’re deeply thankful to everyone who made Cornerstone a part of Raleigh’s story,” the bar posted on its social media pages Sunday, July 20. “To our regulars, our staff who became family, and everyone who brought this place to life, thank you. It’s been an incredible ride and we couldn’t have done it without you. Come celebrate one last time this coming weekend.”
Cornerstone will close after service Saturday night and will become a new concept.
Cornerstone Bar closing
The bar was notable early in the 2020 COVID pandemic for opening its doors while most North Carolina bars remained closed due to lockdown restrictions.
Lovenheim has often been at odds with Raleigh government, suing the city last year over noise complaint citations that he alleged led to the closing of his bar The Village.
In another instance, the city told him to stop parking his Lamborghini in the valet zone in front of another nightclub he owns, The Alchemy.
This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 12:28 PM with the headline "A centerpiece bar is closing on Raleigh’s Glenwood South after 13 years."
