The Swamp Restaurant announces its final day
The Gainesville favorite will close at the end of June
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Nestled at the corner of West University Ave. and Buckman Drive, students, teachers and locals have been gathering at The Swamp in Midtown for the last 25 years.
Strings of light cast a quaint glow on an otherwise grimy, but beloved strip of Gainesville nightlife. It was a landmark for lost freshman and a lunch spot for faculty. On game days, it the place to be as Gator fans crowded every nook and cranny and passed buckets of Bud Lite.
Now the restaurant will end one chapter of its life and begin another.
On June 30, the Swamp Restaurant will officially close its doors, management announced in a Facebook post Tuesday.
“We have witnessed greatness on the fields, courts, and in Gator Nation,” the Facebook post said “We are proud to have served you all for a quarter of a century and incredibly thankful for your support.”
The development company, 908 Group, bought an area of Midtown closing down local favorites including Grille Fresh, Larry’s Giant Subs and now The Swamp. In its place, the company will build student apartments.
The restaurant will not be gone for good, management assured its patrons. They have plans to open a new version of the Swamp in the same location in 2021.
The initial plans to close the Swamp permanently drew backlash from residents and alumni. State Representative Anthony Sabatini, a UF graduate, unsuccessfully filed an amendment to maintain its former glory. Last April, at least 32,000 people signed a student-led petition to save the restaurant.
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