By Jared Curtis
Shorty’s
Court Avenue’s hidden gem
Full Court Press has brought a wide variety of fun and entertaining bars to the downtown area. No matter if you want nostalgia (High Life Lounge), an English Pub vibe (The Royal Mile), a German twist (Hessen Haus) or an amazing beer selection (el Bait Shop), their numerous bars offer something for everybody. Shorty’s is also uniquely different. Although it was remodeled after last year’s floods, it’s still one of the coziest and coolest bars in town.
“Our goal was to create a place that you can go and be away from it all, while still being downtown,” said Jeff Bruning, a partner with Full Court Press. “Time kind of stands still at Shorty’s.”
The original idea was to have a key club/speak-easy vibe where customers in the know could relax and enjoy an original cocktail or a classic beer. It still has the vibe, only now it feels more like hanging out and relaxing in a man-cave dream basement rather than an actual bar.
“The main entrance is in the back alley, so it’s kind of hard to find on your first visit,” said Kevin Adams, manager of Sbrocco Wine Bar & Wine Shop and Shorty’s. “It’s a good place to hang out, kind of your own cool club.”
The bar has four beers on tap, eight classic cans and a lot of “brown liquors.” If customers are hungry, they can enjoy another Full Court Press specialty — a frozen Fong’s Pizza. The bar doesn’t run Happy Hour or nightly specials, because, as Adams said, “It’s always Happy Hour at Shorty’s.”
“We have great prices all of the time,” he said. “We get a lot of bourbon on the rocks and Manhattan orders, but we also mix up a lot of different shots. We offer something for everybody and like to please all of our customers.”
But don’t fret, if brown liquor and classic beers don’t tickle your fancy, Shorty’s offers six wines by the glass ($4) and for the $5 corkage fee, customers can buy wine from the shop or upstairs in Sbrocco Wine Bar and enjoy it in Shorty’s décor.
The basement establishment has a small bar and numerous tables and chairs, as well as a few comfy leather sofas to relax in while sipping a cocktail. Vintage beer signs and prohibition pictures adorn the walls.
“We have a great mix of customers. During the week we get a lot of downtown workers stopping in before they head home, and late at night and on the weekends we draw a little bit of a younger crowd,” Adams said.
With so many bars trying to be a part of the scene, it’s refreshing to see a place like Shorty’s. It’s cool without trying to be, which is a rare feat in Des Moines’ nightlife.
“We’re a different type of bar,” Adams said. “We offer a great place to relax, and you don’t have to yell to have a conversation. It’s easy to lose track of time at Shorty’s.” CV
Caption: Manager Kevin Adams shows his most popular product, Templeton Rye, while bartender Ernie Shillak mixes a “Dingleberry” at Shorty’s, 208 Court Ave. (in the basement of Sbrocco). Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 4 p.m. to close.
