Confirmed: Hogs & Heifers to Close Downtown
A longtime fixture in the Downtown Grand family is set to close.
We use the term “family” loosely here, as there’s been antagonism between Hogs & Heifers and the ownership of Downtown Grand, CIM Group, for years.
We’ve confirmed Hogs & Heifers is done (although the closure hasn’t been officially announced yet) as the bawdy bar’s lease has run out and it won’t be renewed. Especially with a sale of Downtown Grand to Rolling Stone in the works.
If you haven’t heard of Hogs & Heifers, you probably haven’t been anywhere near the place, because it tends to be loud.
It’s known as a biker bar, and the female bartenders playfully dance on the bar and berate customers through bullhorns.
Our first thought when we heard Hogs & Heifers is closing? Dibs on Jim Morrison’s mugshot and arrest report. No, really. When Hogs & Heifers opened in 2005, the bar’s owner, Michelle Dell, put out a call for memorabilia. She received this gem.
As mentioned, Downtown Grand and Hogs & Heifers never really got along too well. There were many, many complaints from hotel guests about the disproportionate amount of loud coming from this tiny bar.
There was a very public legal battle. It got ugly. Hogs & Heifers prevailed.
The foul-mouthed charm of the bartenders isn’t for everyone, but Hogs & Heifers checks a lot of boxes as a working class saloon where authenticity wins over pretense.
We originally heard Hogs & Heifers might close from our friend @AuthenticVegas, who shared the tip on Twitter. The rumor was the lease had been bought out for $1 million, which we’ve confirmed is completely unfounded. Still, good stuff, James. Related: We will always have a soft spot for James as he is the writer who named our Twitter feed the best in Las Vegas in Desert Companion Magazine.
Anyway, as mentioned, we broke the story Downtown Grand is in the process of being sold to Rolling Stone, and should that deal reach a climax, we trust they are going to overhaul the block.
If the Life is Beautiful returns, it’s likely to be in the street between Downtown Grand and Hogs & Heifers.
Rolling Stone would presumably have a good amount of pull to get acts for concerts (there’s a good deal of debate about just how much pull the brand has these days, but it’s back by Penske Media Corp. and its deep pockets) and the whole neighborhood could be turned into a music-themed destination. Lots of potential. Mostly for financial struggle, but that’s for another day.
Downtown Grand may not get a lot of gamblers, but it’s done well with its hotel. The resort added a hotel tower, which effectively nixed a planned tower at the Fremont casino. The Fremont added a food court instead, and it’s pretty good.
Whatever might be in store for Downtown Grand (the sale hasn’t been derailed so far, but there have been a number of derailments in the past), Hogs & Heifers won’t be in the mix.
On the bright side, there’s still time to stop by and give Hogs & Heifers the send-off it deserves.
Bars on the Strip have gotten a little snooty, and Hogs & Heifers is sort of the opposite of that. It’s raw. It’s in your face. It’s unabashedly sexy and funny and doesn’t give a damn about your delicate sensibilities.
We suspect Hogs & Heifers will have a final blow-out street party to mark its closure. We’ll share anything we hear.
Here’s hoping Hogs & Heifers finds a location that’s a better fit for its unique brand of DGAF and “WTF did she just say?”
Update (5/13/25): Following the publication of our scoop, Hogs & Heifers posted to their Instagram page. It seems not everyone was aware the bar is closing.
Hogs & Heifers shared a statement about the closure. Hogs & Heifers plans to close July 6, 2025 and is looking for a new location.
Leave your thoughts on “Confirmed: Hogs & Heifers to Close Downtown”
19 Comments