It had a good beat and a nice rhythm, but when it came down to economics, Hot Rod Cafe in downtown Sharon just couldn't dance any longer, its owners say.

Best Wings USA executives said Thursday the nightclub will close Oct. 7, but they are hoping to bring in a new tenant to occupy the nightspot.

A multitude of factors led to the closing, said George "Jig'' Warren III, president of Best Wings.

A difficult time in finding live bands that could attract crowds, tougher drunken driving enforcement, new laws curbing indoor smoking in public areas, skyrocketing insurance costs after the devastating nightclub fire in Rhode Island ealier this year in which 100 people died and an overall downturn in the local economy were among key reasons to shutter the nightclub, Warren said.

Only a handful of area bands commanding steep fees are able to drum up patrons, he said. "We've gotten some very good bands in here, but they just don't draw. It's a shame, the music now is better than it was 10 years ago.''

Traffic through downtown Sharon has plummeted over the years because of plant closings and that, in turn, resulted in fewer patrons, he added.

Best Wings executives tried unsuccessfully for months to find a restaurant group to settle in the building, which can hold 350 patrons.