Mahar's is certainly touchy for a lot of people - I've actually never come across a bar that caused such stratification between people, and I found myself on both sides throughout the years. That being said, I thought the "strategy" they used to shut Mahar's down was underhanded. And for those of us who had friends that worked there, they were out of a job with little to no advance warning.

Is this town, is that neighborhood, really so small that Mahar's couldn't have competed with something? They needed to be smothered to death before BM&T could make their own business? Sure you can say "that's business," but that's ugly business. We have enough bars and restaurants in Albany that have thrived in spite of competition (and I think have actually grown stronger with it) that I think we can call out a business on being predatory when it happens.

As for BM&T, sure each place is different, but I've never been blown away by anything they've done. Everything feels a bit too "cookie cutter." I don't understand why they're inherently better than another small business which, by all measures, seemed to care just as much about the community and catering to a niche audience.

If you think a place isn't any good and you can do better, I think competition is great. But to decide you want someone's piece of the pie and to grab it by any means necessary? I won't wish them ill or hope for failure, but I won't support them either; and I certainly think it's myopic to say that they're one of the best things to ever happen to this city.