Davis Square Dilboy VFW Post Closes

The George Dilboy VFW post in Somerville's Davis Square is reported to be closed by the Davis Square LiveJournal. The post has played host to countless community events such as the cask beer centered New England Real Ale eXhibition, which was slated to run at the Dilboy again in March, the annual Halloweeniversary party which ran for the past 11 years, and the HONK! Festival of Activist Street Bands. The post has closed due to failure to comply with building codes, but supporters say the closure is linked to gentrification. A recent article in Wicked Local Somerville describes the events leading up to the closure, including the construction of a partition wall meant to limit the occupancy and thereby negate the need for changes to the building. Wicked Local reports strong reactions from an Air Force veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who also works as a bartender at the post: “I actually cried because I had to sit there and watch the wall go up,” said Mickelwait. “This has been the one stable place for me for 10 years? This has been like my family.”

· Somerville's Dilboy VFW post faces potential shutdown [Wicked Local]
· Dilboy VFW closed [LiveJournal]