Bloomington Ends Outdoor Dining on Kirkwood Avenue

Restaurants must adjust as city reopens vehicle traffic on popular bar and restaurant strip.

Feb. 27, 2026 at 9:49pm

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The city of Bloomington, Indiana is ending its temporary COVID-era measure that shut down east-west traffic on Kirkwood Avenue to allow for expanded outdoor dining. Restaurants in the popular college bar and restaurant area will now have to adapt, with some expressing disappointment at losing the "festival atmosphere" of the past few years.

Why it matters

The changes to Kirkwood Avenue's outdoor dining setup reflect the ongoing challenges facing restaurants as they navigate the post-pandemic landscape. While some businesses welcomed the return of vehicle traffic, others had invested in additional seating and infrastructure to take advantage of the street closures, and now must adjust.

The details

In the past, during the warmer months, Kirkwood Avenue would be closed to vehicle traffic, allowing restaurants to spread tables, chairs and tents into the middle of the street. This year, the city has decided to reopen the street to cars, canceling the outdoor dining setup. Businesses like Village Deli and Nick's English Hut had prepared for the return of the expanded outdoor seating, but now must accommodate customers inside instead. The city's study found that only 5 out of 25 restaurants on the corridor actually participated in the outdoor street activation.

  • In the past, Kirkwood Avenue would be closed to vehicles during the summer and warmer months.
  • This year, the city of Bloomington has decided to reopen vehicle traffic on Kirkwood Avenue.

The players

Gregg Rago

The owner of Nick's English Hut restaurant.

Galen Cassady

The co-owner of Uptown Cafe.

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What they’re saying

“We've had to make adjustments. Instead of having a couple people out here, we've had to accommodate for them inside.”

— Gregg Rago, Owner, Nick's English Hut

“It's fine, we'll adapt to it. It's just we won't have that big festival atmosphere from April to November.”

— Gregg Rago, Owner, Nick's English Hut

“We took that bite and we're still holding onto that stuff and maybe we can use it in the future. But this year it's just probably not going to work out.”

— Galen Cassady, Co-Owner, Uptown Cafe

What’s next

The city of Bloomington will do a study in 2027 that will evaluate the long-term design of Kirkwood Avenue.

The takeaway

The changes to outdoor dining on Kirkwood Avenue highlight the ongoing challenges facing restaurants as they adapt to a post-pandemic landscape. While some businesses welcome the return of vehicle traffic, others had invested in expanded seating and infrastructure to take advantage of the street closures, and must now find new ways to accommodate customers.