Welcome, Mr. McMenamin!
McMenamins is buying the Spar! Music to our ears. Current owner McWain has been one of the most outspoken jerks in town for quite sometime, and downtown is hungry (as always) for more hangouts than the bars. I think McMenamins is pretty sure to deliver a good show. I know it is not locally run, but I think it will be a tasteful and profitable business that will honor the character of downtown, and this is an endangered species anymore.
If we could just get him to buy Batdorf and Bronson....
posted by Jade at 9:32 PM
2 Comments:
I am a huge fan of the Olympic Club in Centralia, McMenamin's closest operation to Olympia. Often I have wondered why such a great place could not be in Olympia. I have to wonder no longer. The McMenamins have done a terrific job of fitting into the community and into the downtown. Indeed, the Olympic Club is probably the most popular place in town. I'm not sure how the McMenamin's can do what they do, take classic building, keep them pretty much the way they were, and fit their operations into them, but that is what they do. The Old Spagetti Factory in Tacoma and around the country seems to be able to do the same thing. Both operations are wildly popular. I'd imagine that the MacMenamins will have to take over some additional real estate in order to do what they are doing in Centralia, that being a bar, resturant, cafe, pool hall, hotel, and movie theater. Did I also mention brewery? And you can't beat the deal on Wednesdays, a movie, a beer and a burger for ten bucks. Can hardly get a movie in Olympia for ten bucks. The smoking ban has had no impact on the Olympic Club. Seems to me business is better. I'll miss the smokey pool hall (all pool halls should be smokey) but I can not deny that the McMenamins have the right formula. I would hope that other businesses in Olympia follow the vision of the McMenamins. I guess the best thing you can say about the Olympic Club is that it seems that it has been there forever, the truth is the McMenamins have only had it for the last ten years. Now that is some serious magic and bodes well for Olympia. Again, I have wondered why there was nothing like the Olympia Club in Olympia (even the name works for Olympia) but now we are at the very start of such a place. A welcome addition to our downtown landscape and possible a model for other businesses. My biggest fear is that they become like B&B in Olympia and decide it is best to only cater to the "elite" customers. The McMenamins would do well to remember that their new version of the Spar should be inclusive and empowering, now that would really be something.
I agree, Crenshaw. What else in Centralia, WA can you say draws a steady crowd of tourists from Olympia? Only the Olympic Club, and only since McMenamin's bought it.
I was worried at first, having been a fan of the "old" Olympic Club, but I was pleased to find it tastefully improved; retaining all its robust, smoky glory.
Though the law has taken care of the smokiness, it is still a charming and cheap place to dine, drink, shoot pool, or see a good movie. Mr. McMenamin demonstrates that a vibrant downtown in a small community doesn't have to look like 5th Avenue. I am sure that he will do just as well by the Spar.
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