One of West End’s most loved local institutions is calling last drinks. Bosc, the craft beer and gin bar that has been a fixture on Vulture Street for 13 years, will close its doors for good on 20 June.
Read: Cheers to West End: Exploring Brisbane’s Vibrant Bar Scene
Owner Emily Tankey confirmed the closure in May, describing the decision as one she reached after failing to agree on terms for a new lease with her landlord. A significant rent increase was ultimately the push that brought things to a head.
It is a bittersweet end for a bar that, by all accounts, is going out at the top of its game. Bosc has reportedly been recording some of the strongest trade figures in its entire history in the lead-up to the announcement.
Ms Tankey opened Bosc in 2013 with a clear focus on locally minded craft beer and Australian gin, and the bar quickly built a devoted following. Over more than a decade, it became the kind of place where regulars turned into friends, and friends turned into family.
In an Instagram post announcing the closure, Ms Tankey captured that spirit with characteristic warmth. “Bosc has been the best continuous house party I’ve ever thrown,” she wrote. “I’ve made lifelong friends, taught your kids how to pour their first beer, and honestly I have had the time of my life.”
That sense of genuine community is something customers have long recognised. A Google review describes Bosc as having “a unique charm, with an impressive variety of craft beers and a great selection of Australian gins,” praising the warm atmosphere and the fact that Ms Tankey herself was so often present, “always smiling and making you feel right at home.”
For Ms Tankey, the bar has been far more than a business. She has spoken about the deep personal connections it forged, including friendships that have stretched the full 13 years, invitations to weddings, and even meeting her partner through the community that gathered around the bar. Some of the most important people in her life, she has said, came directly out of Bosc.
Letting go of something so meaningful is never straightforward, and Ms Tankey acknowledged there would never have been an easy time to walk away. But she also struck an optimistic note. In her Instagram post, she wrote that she was, in her own words, “pretty excited about what’s next.”
That next chapter involves relocating full-time to Melbourne, where she already spends a significant portion of her time. She will be pouring her energy into her craft beer brand, Better Together, and completing a masters degree in accounting.
Bosc will not go quietly. Ms Tankey and her team are planning a send-off that reflects the spirit of how the bar began. “Giulio and I have some pretty special things lined up to make sure Bosc gets sent off exactly the way it started,” she wrote on Instagram.
Read: New Rooftop Bar Proposed for Popular West End Hotel
The response from the community has been emotional. Followers have flooded the Instagram announcement with messages of love and farewell. “You will be forever missed, I’ll always love Bosc,” wrote one commenter. Another offered: “Thanks for the good times and memories. Here’s to your next epic chapter.”
Last drinks will be poured on 20 June. For anyone who has ever pulled up a stool at Bosc, between now and then is the time to get in one final round.
Published 28-May-2026
