Posted July 03, 2013in Belly Up To...
A lot of bar owners contrive all kinds of different gimmicks to lure patrons into their establishments. They come up with clever names above front doors, snappy logos on their products; they tout signature drinks with sexual names and drinking games to draw the college crowd. But there’s just something
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Posted June 26, 2013in Belly Up To...
Living in the Grand Canyon State lends itself to a whole slew of western saloons for any drinker to choose from. Even though I was young, I can still remember a family trip to the Rusty Spur in Scottsdale, Ariz. My dad sat me and my sister up on the
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Posted June 19, 2013in Belly Up To...
What is it about upside down drinking that is so damn effective at getting a person completely intoxicated in a matter of mere seconds? Perhaps the increased intake of CO2 from the keg, the excessive consumption of alcohol or the fact that, alcohol-laced blood flows directly to the brain? The
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Posted June 12, 2013in Belly Up To...
Getting kicked out of a bar has come to be a running joke — almost a badge of honor even — among my ornery, carousing friends. I’ll never forget my first time. I took advantage of a birthday deal being offered at a Clive bar — “where you want to
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Posted June 05, 2013in Belly Up To...
Ever been washing your knickers at the laundromat and decide to yourself, “You know, this place would be more fun if it were a bar?” It’s not exactly known if that’s what the Sullivans — two brothers with strong Irish ties — were doing when they opened Sully’s Irish Pub
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Posted May 29, 2013in Belly Up To...
Don’t mistake the Lucky Monkey for its previous identity as the 101 Lounge. It’s anything but. From the time Tim Hartman and his two brothers purchased the building last September to its grand opening in January 2013, major revamping has occurred: The space has been gutted and renewed to showcase
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Posted May 22, 2013in Belly Up To...
There’s a nexus of contrast in a small village town just down the Raccoon River from West Des Moines. A place where Cy and Herkey can sit down and have a reconciling beer. It’s a biker bar that welcomes both Harley and Schwinn to its patio past times. A union
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Posted May 15, 2013in Belly Up To...
Those familiar with West Cabaret may have noticed some major changes in the place lately. The already-popular bar is sure to turn some heads this summer. While West Cab has been a wildly popular fixture in the West Glen bar scene, new owners decided it was time for some changes.
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Posted May 08, 2013in Belly Up To...
Thom Ruan was a fun guy. He loved his hometown and cherished good times with good company. So it was a natural move for him to open his own bar — a home for himself and his people, a place all their own. “He always wanted a Cheers-style bar. He
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Posted May 01, 2013in Belly Up To...
In the spirit of this week’s cover story, I thought I’d take a little road trip to farm country for a quiet place to belly up. I was in the neighborhood anyway, site-seeing at the oddly-placed Hindu temple and the famous High Trestle Trail Bridge near Madrid. So after a
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