What Made a Bar Attractive in My Youth?

     As a college brat in the late 1960's in a little town in Northern California I found my favorite bar to be a little place just off of the town square called Marino's.Club.    This was one of the coolest bars in Arcata, California, a small lumber town.    This was the place that I had my first Zombie in 1967, and a goodly number of other cocktails during my school years at Humboldt State College.

     It was one of those classic bars of the 50's and 60's era, it would fill up nearly every night with a great group of "working class" people and students from the college.    It was a place to go have a few cocktails, good conversation and the occasional "hook-up".    It reminds me of the fun little bar here in Key West (The Rum Bar) that I work at now.   I feel that a lot has been lost with these large show bars that dominate the bar scene today, the homey little places that are quiet enough for conversation and fun really is what a lot of people go to a bar for.  

    The large "dance hall" fast drink places lack the personal touch that I looked forward to when I went to a bar in the first place.   The Rum Bar at which I am a barman today is one of these small 15 seat conversation pits for which many people stop by to have our craft cocktails and enjoy conversing and meeting new people.  It is both a tourist and local friendly, You can usually find it filled with both.  The tourists like talking with the locals getting insights into the town and places to eat, drink and see.   The locals enjoy meeting people from all over the world and especially from their hometowns .

     I guess when it is all said and done,
what I liked in my college days is pretty much what I still like today.  The warm, homey, friendly local tavern or club that people get acquainted and have good conversation and fun.  This is the bar that I still will be frequenting  today.   My hangout bar (The Hurricane Hole)  down here is an outdoor waterfront bar that is about as fun as they come.  I can be arrive at by boat, car or bicycle, but how you get there doesn't really matter, it is the fact that you are there that counts.   Just people enjoying people and having fun, that is all that really matters.   ;o)