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June 04, 2006
Well Then!
Massholes Need Not Apply
Let the farce be with you, Colorado!
Libation-seekers with out-of-state IDs might not want to deposit themselves at the Bank Bar and Grill, 2239 East Colfax Avenue, on a Sunday night. Because while the Bank does offer $2 you-call-its to officially mark the end of the Sabbath, the deal is locals-only. In fact, signs on the walls advise patrons that the Bank "reserves the right to refuse service to anyone without a valid Colorado State ID."What - no shirts, no hiking boots, no service?
"Many nights we get some rough people in here," notes Robbie Secrist, the bar's general manager. "And we've found that most of the time the people that come in and want to cause problems are from out of state. I honestly don't even know the reason why."
Could it be rowdy groups of Cornhuskers looking to get shucked? A bunch of sassy Kansans with something to prove? Ben and Jerry, in from Vermont and talking shit? Even in native-conscious Colorado, such a policy seems pretty provincial.
"Two summers ago, we had a lot of gang activity," Secrist says. "At that time, we had a Denver police officer on the door, and he suggested the policy; he explained that when there's a lot of gang activity, a lot of it often comes from out of state. So we tried it, and it really worked for us."
That trouble was an owner ago: Last year, the Bank became part of the mighty Pete Contos empire (think Pete's Kitchen, the Satire, Pete's Greek Town Cafe, etc., etc.). With the change in ownership, the $2 you-call-it Sunday special disappeared for a while -- but now it's back, and so is the locals-only policy. Still, while the always-sell-Colorado rule is a standing one, the Bank usually enforces it only on the $2-special night.
This past Sunday, the bar was packed to the gills with Colorado drink-swillers -- and there wasn't a transplant to be found in the mix. At least eight angry out-of-staters were turned away, Secrist reports. "A lot of it is really attitude when you come up to the door," he adds. "If you're cool and there's plenty of room inside, we'll probably let you in. It's unfortunate that we have to do something like this, but we just want everyone to have a fun, safe time."
Everyone from Colorado, that is.
Posted by Bree at June 4, 2006 10:57 PM