LEWISTON — The cornhole community is reeling once again as news came Friday night that Sliders Sports Pub at 40 East Ave. will be closing its doors Feb. 1.

Owner Zach Donohue said Friday night in a Facebook post that after 15 months of serving the community, Sliders Sports Pub will be closing.

The popular spot for cornhole tournaments was a draw for enthusiasts in the aftermath of the Oct. 25 mass shooting at Just-In-Time Recreation and Schemengees Bar & Grille. The latter business, now closed, was also a hotspot for cornhole.

Sliders opened about a month before the mass shooting and became a home base of sorts for cornhole enthusiasts.

“The cornhole community is so close,” Donohue told the Sun Journal. “These people are more than just people who come in every day. We all know each other on a much deeper level. Losing that is definitely devastating to the community.”

Donohue cited the cost of the East Avenue location as part of the reason why he was forced to close down the pub. He also cited a slowing economy.

“We’re just losing this big family that we have here,” said bartender Alexis Bolduc. “It’s awful.”

Sliders currently has 10-12 employees, Donohue said, and he is exploring opportunities to open in a different location, but nothing is guaranteed. The decision to close was a tough one and wasn’t made lightly, he said.

“We had to do it at the time that we did it in order to hopefully move on in the future,” Donohue said.

Over 230 people left comments on the post announcing the closure.

“You guys did a great job creating a wonderful environment at the most opportune time in Lewiston when so many needed a place to heal,” Ernie Lacombe commented. “Thank you!”

“You will be missed. Thank you for supporting Lewiston Strong & Maine Deaf Strong,” commented Heather Richards-Kretlow. “It was a place where most of us can go for healing, playing cornhole again, hugs, laughter, tears, delicious food and drinks.”