I truly enjoy walking into a dark neighborhood bar to meet some friends for a drink, because I just know I am going to have a fun time. Sure, the floors at these establishments may be a little sticky and there may not be a big fancy menu, but no matter, the drinks are cheap and are poured correctly.
While you enjoy that well-poured drink, you might hear the crack of the cue ball breaking up the rack on the billiard table and some familiar tunes being played from the jukebox. In the windows, neon beer signs are buzzing that old familiar sound.
Sitting next to you at that well-worn bar might be an old-timer having a deep conversation with a new friend about the origins of the universe or the origins of the Buffalo wing. The unlikely pair become best buds for the night as they try to keep up with each other, round for round.
The bartenders know how to laugh and take a joke, but they also don’t take any sass from customers. They have the good sense to know the difference between the two. As they watch over and tend to the customers, bartenders are the heart and soul of any bar. The good ones make you feel welcome, whether you are a regular or just passing through for the first time.
Spend a night in a dive bar and you never know what you might get into. You could end up singing karaoke with your old college roommate, or meet some new friends over a game of darts. You might hear a gem of a local band playing your favorite song or get into a rousing game of trivia. If you are hungry, you just might get served the best burger you’ve had in years and then be amazed by all the money you still have in your pocket when you leave. One thing for sure, you are bound to have a good time and make some new friends, as long as you keep your expectations in check.
Yes, indeed, some of my favorite nights have been spent in these kinds of establishments all around the country, and they all have a similar feel. Whether you call them dive bars or holes in the wall, they offer a place for all members of the community to come together over a drink and some friendly conversation. You don’t have to be rich, you don’t have to be fancy, you just need to have an open mind. All ages over 21 are welcome.
While things in State College have been growing toward a more modern flair, with new buildings filling in the skyline, there are still many local bars that offer the dive-bar atmosphere. Recent current events have shown exactly what these establishments can mean to the community.
When State College Borough Council approved on August 7 the use of eminent domain to take over the property that is home to The Brewery, along with Music Mart and Canyon Pizza, to build a new parking lot, it did not sit well with people who have come to love the community gathering space. The Brewery wears its dive-bar pride on its sleeve and has been located in the basement along the alley at 233 East Beaver Avenue since the late 1960s.
Soon after the eminent-domain announcement, the community came together to rally behind the small bar that has been host to so many memories over the years. Nearly 5,000 people signed an online petition calling on the council to drop their plans, and when the community came together to voice their support during the next board meeting on August 21, Borough Council rescinded their decision.
Brewery and building co-owners Jay Horgas and Ray Rockey were moved by the many comments about their bar and the building’s other tenants.
“The outreach from people, it’s hard to put words to,” Horgas said to StateCollege.com after the vote to rescind the motion. “Rockey and I were kind of looking for Kleenex as people talked about their stories. We have loyalty to that business and through thick and thin it’s endured.”
“A bar like this that is a staple of the community and has been for decades; you can’t replace that vibe,” said Kirk French, a Penn State professor who teaches the popular Anthropology of Alcohol course, during the meeting. “You can’t replace that energy. It comes from its location. The history is stored in those walls and can’t be moved. For a community, bars provide a space that has no equal. Pubs by definition, it’s a public meeting house. … It’s a public space where people come to talk. … The Brewery is one of the last independently owned people’s bars in all of State College and this whole area. We need it. The community needs it.”
Hear, hear, and The Brewery is just one of many small local bars that the community needs. Last fall, basement bar Zeno’s celebrated 50 years of introducing Penn Staters to the world of beers directly above the center of the earth, and people came out to celebrate during a weekend of fun.
Across town, Sharkie’s Bar is the place to go for a good drink and a round of pool. Further away from downtown and connected to Northland Bowl, The Arena Bar and Grill is a sneaky good place for a fun night out with friends, whether it is after a few frames of bowling or not.
The Bar in Boalsburg might have a simple name, but the good service and fun atmosphere make it a go-to spot for many locals.
In Bellefonte, Hootinanny Dive Bar Extraordinaire doesn’t hide from its dive-bar reputation. The location was formerly known as the Omar Bar and is a well-known local favorite.
Our rural communities, too, have their neighborhood watering holes. Every time I am out in Spring Mills, I try to make a stop at the Frosty Hook for a good bite and a beer. My local pub, The Port Matilda Hotel and Tavern, has a surprisingly good selection of beers on draft and excellent wings and is worth the trip over the mountain for those living in State College.
All these places and many more are a big part of what makes Centre County great, in my opinion. They may not be the most fancy bars in town, but many fun memories are being served there every night.
So, the next time I stop at one of these places to wet my whistle, don’t be afraid to sit down next to me and tell me all you know about the origins of the universe or the Buffalo wing. I’ll be glad to hear about it and maybe I’ll include it in my next story. Cheers! T&G
Vincent Corso enjoys drinking local and meeting new people at central Pennsylvania’s many interesting establishments.
