It used to be called the Alamo, for its shape, then it was an art gallery. Now, the cool old 1901 brick building next to the railroad tracks on Q Street at 19th is about to become the Whiskey Wild Saloon.
I parked the furry bike outside and walked among the ladders, Saws-Alls and stacks of chairs and met Jon Glover, who started building this place with his partner Larry Wycoff in August, and are about to open sometime soon - before mid-November.
Whiskey Wild is a "country rock concept bar," the first of several that Glover hopes to build. He has specially engineered a heavy-duty, 40-foot-long bar that is designed for drinking AND dancing: his bartenders and servers are also performers, and will break into song and dance throughout any given evening. This concept first saw light in Sacramento in the '70s, at the Great Northern on Fulton Avenue, and then failed at America Live in more recent years.
But Glover, who was a Sacramento Police officer from 1999-2005, inspires confidence. The guy seems to have done his homework, and his demeanor is cool, confident and friendly. A born host, with a bit of the understated bouncer thrown in, this guy knows midtown, and he's putting his money and a lot of creative energy into it.
I for one, am putting my figurative money on Whiskey Wild to be successful: He's bringing a concept bar to a small part of midtown Sacramento that is long on vacant lots, body shops and dive bars, but has little to recommend it unless you work for The Beeheemoth just up the street. The few people who work at The Bee and stick around downtown are going to find they have a favorite new place to drink. And eat.
And there's lots of parking for the cowboys and cowgirls who will be drawn downtown from their suburban rancheros. Yeah, midtown hipsters are going to have a problem with this - what, the Old Tavern isn't good enough? And some of those cowboys are probably...Republicans!
But this is a homegrown operation that will employ not just service people, but PLAYERS. Glover plans to entertain his guests completely, while keeping meals - basic food with "a southwest flair" - reasonably priced.
I like this guy, and I like his chances. And it's great to see that old building get a new life at 100 years old.
Yee haw, people!
Their website is www.whiskeywildsac.com - check it out.
5 comments:
I suppose I'm a little dismayed by the name (why not just call it the "Drunken Barn Dance Saloon"?), and moderately dismayed by the website, which is cheesier than the state of Wisconsin. Apparently they applied to the city as the "Iron Horse Saloon" rather than the tacky name they picked.
If they really are going to offer "reasonably priced basic food" I'll go eat there: we need more of that and less overpriced foo foo. In most places like that, though, the "grill" part of the appellation is an afterthought.
In the long run, I think they'll get absorbed into the local dive bar scene, along with Benny's, the Zebra, the Press Club, the Town House and the Old Tavern. And I'm just fine with that: I'd way rather have well-soaked downtownies stumbling home drunk than folks drunk-driving their SUVs down Q Street. Let the suburban cowboys stick to the wide-open ranges of Orangevale.
It would be great if this place would feature good quality live music like Stubbs (Austin) or Safari Sams (L.A.), but DJs, lame gimmicks and Line Dancing make more money. I guess we'll still have to drive to S.F. (or Winters)...
sad. there is a real need for a good bar that caters to non-college midtowners. this is a great old building in a hot midtown location, but the website makes it look like they are trying to cater to sacramento's "bridge and tunnel crowd" verses the townies.
I went, I drank, I ate, and I had an absolute fantastic time. Friday night, November 16th, 2007. Tonight was a private opening party for friends and family only. Whiskey Wild opens tomorrow for the general public.
I've lived in Sacramento my entire life, and there truly is no other place like this. Whiskey Wild definitely sells entertainment, with good drinks and food on the side.
Thanks to Jon and his wife for the invite. They did a fantastic job!
Lori
This is not a country bar...YET but think it could be, with some actual country dancing and a possible bull in the corner. Everyone here seems like there in Sac and have lived there "there whole life" We'll I haven't, only 2 months to be exact and from MI, where kids and boys of all adges know how to party. I think the place should liven up a bit overtime and I hope anyone attending this bar joint should leave their heels home and be true to a country bar. Where were the cowboy hats? The drunken 21year old shouldn't be the only one wearing that attire. The people make the bar. Why does Sac think so highly of itself anyway? ...still looking for a good pub to attend.
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