Change is inevitable, though often uncomfortable, full of uncertainty and isn’t something most of us typically jump at the chance at, unless it means the change leads to a better outcome.

It’s hard to let go of some things in life when change rears its ugly head, especially when it comes to people and places you’ve grown to love over the years and can’t imagine life without them. A wiser person than I once said, “Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change,” but I believe there is much insight to gain in accepting when change happens, especially when it’s something that’s out of your control.

One of my favorite places in town announced its impending closure this week, which seemed to happen a lot sooner than the owners, the regular customers and those of us who’ve been there since the beginning, were expecting. It wasn’t exactly a secret that over the last few months CITIES on East 6th Street had been seeking new ownership. Only once the deal was made and the check was signed, everything had to be out Sunday, Sept. 1, rather than having the establishment remain open until the end of the year, which was the original plan.

The suddenness of the change in ownership was, of course, shocking to a lot of us, and has been weighing heavily on our minds all this week as we counted down the business’ final days. It’s a shame, because CITIES is a place that has given so much opportunity to bands, artists, comedians or even the average Joe wishing to get on a real stage and be a rock star for a night at karaoke.

For me personally, CITIES was special because of those opportunities it offered to people like me, whether it was picking up a guitar and jamming with “real musicians,” the aforementioned popular karaoke nights, or the nerve-wracking challenge of performing standup comedy in front of a sold out room. Most of all, you felt like family when you were there.

Owners Rob West and Mary Beth Monahan dumped their heart and soul into the place, even if some weeks it seemed like it took everything and more just to hold it all together. As business owners, making money and being successful is the top priority, but more than anything those two wanted to create a place for everybody to enjoy, and on their own terms, with good food, good music and something that could continue to grow organically.

It’s hard to rank my favorite CITIES memories, especially considering how many were made in just two short years since it opened in 2017. I’ll certainly miss seeing bands like the retro party group Rubik’s Groove, My Politic, or when WKOM used to broadcast shows live every Friday. There was also the time The Stolen Faces recreated an incredibly historic Grateful Dead show this past summer, or when CITIES screened “Rock Horror Picture Show” this past Halloween, and the standup comedy nights were always a big hit.

Though those nights are now part of the not-so distant past, there is a bright future ahead for the former David’s Old Fords building.

I’m not at liberty to give too many details just yet, mostly because I don’t know them, but readers and music fans might be familiar with who will be taking over the business, Rory Feek. As much as I’m sad to see CITIES go, knowing that Rory is taking things over makes me excited to see what he has in store for when the place reopens, which I was told could be sometime in November.

As I said, I don’t know too many details at the moment, but from what I understand, it will still host live music, while also operating as a restaurant in the front of the building. So, on paper at least, it doesn’t seem like much is changing as far as how the business will run, but I believe there’s a lot more going on that’ll bring it to a whole new level. But those details will be revealed in time.

I briefly spoke with Rory on Friday about his new business venture, and he simply said, “There’s a much bigger story for what we have planned here.” That was enough to put me at ease, at least until Rory and I can sit down for a proper interview in the near future to discuss the whole story.

It’s also good that Rob and Mary Beth seem to be taking the change with a positive attitude, and that the business they created will remain in good hands. There’s just a spirit and pureness about the place that always felt like home. I truly hope that doesn’t go away with the new changes, because that’s what made CITIES a special place to so many people in the community.

“This is something that, more than anything, is going to be really good for Columbia,” Rob said. “This is a really good thing, and people are going to love what he’ll do to the place.”

It’s tough to see a place you love close down, or go through significant changes. It’s easy to get angry, especially when you think about how many people probably never went there that would have loved it, and that could have helped keep CITIES afloat. A running theme in this town is the importance of supporting local businesses, because if you don’t they will eventually shut down.

There could be any number of reasons why CITIES ultimately had to close its doors, especially when you think about all the new businesses that have cropped up over the past few years and the rapid rate of growth Columbia and Maury County continues to experience. Even though all of that has been good, it’s a shame that lots of growth can sometimes mean certain businesses will take a crushing blow, especially smaller, locally-run ones that don’t have multi-million dollar corporate backers to help keep the lights on.

But that’s not what’s important here.

Columbia had to say goodbye to a business that encapsulated everything the city is trying to grow and develop, such as the arts, downtown tourism and creating a space that is truly “Columbian” in nature. I have faith that what comes next will remain a downtown staple, and that we will still be able to stop in on a Friday or Saturday night and hear some really great live music, visit with friends and create more lasting memories in the place we call “home.”

Jay Powell is a reporter for The Daily Herald. Contact him at jpowell@c-dh.net or follow him on Twitter @JayPowellCDH.