Bobby Heugel (left) and Peter Jahnke are the masterminds behind a few of our favourite bars.
Bobby Heugel and Peter Jahnke is perhaps identified for his or her trendy Montrose cocktail bars Anvil and Refuge, however the enterprise companions are doing rather more across the metropolis to save lots of Houston’s older bars. Prior to now couple of years, they’ve purchased Catbirds down the road on Westheimer and Blue Lagoon Membership in Spring Department. So how do you retain a dive bar alive with out…fully altering the vibe? We spoke with Heugel about preserving these watering holes.
Houstonia: What was the inspiration for purchasing the bars?
Bobby Heugel: Peter and I was roommates, and we lived a number of blocks away from Catbirds. When the prior proprietor determined to not need to proceed to function it, we determined to attempt to hold it round. We’ve been profitable at that, and I feel that have went so nicely that we thought we might do one thing related for Blue Lagoon, which was in an analogous place.
What are some measures you’ve taken to achieve the belief of regulars?
Effectively, I feel in Montrose, after we did Catbirds, we had been clearly identified, proper? Individuals had been afraid that we’d flip Catbirds right into a cocktail bar. We had to withstand a few of our previous repute. And at Blue Lagoon, we’re a less-known commodity, proper? That’s a neighborhood the place we [didn’t] have something. Individuals who dwell and drink in Spring Department have a tendency to remain of their neighborhood.
So, at Catbirds, we needed to form of resist our prior repute, whereas at Blue Lagoon, I feel we’re dealing with a special hurdle, which is simply making an attempt to get to know folks and earn their belief as a brand new id, versus an id with as a lot baggage as we [had] in Montrose.
Subsequent time you are in Spring Department, head on over to Blue Lagoon Membership for a dive bar expertise.
Why is it necessary to take care of a majority of these bars in Houston?
I feel we’re in a hyperaccelerated novelty cycle relating to eating places and bars, the place persons are craving what’s new as a result of it offers them social fairness on their social media feeds. The ramifications of which can be that older locations don’t get the identical consideration, and their worth in a really aggressive restaurant and bar house has been decreased as a result of they don’t supply the identical social fairness {that a} newer enterprise does. That implies that older areas are actually threatened.
And never solely that, however lots of these older areas specifically are owned by folks from the boomer technology which can be getting older in life and are retirement and are dealing with rising prices in lease, insurance coverage, and different issues which can be making it exhausting for them to proceed as they attain that time of their life. If folks don’t step in and attempt to save these areas, we’ll miss them.
