Bobby Heugel (left) and Peter Jahnke are the masterminds behind a few of our favourite bars.
Bobby Heugel and Peter Jahnke may be identified for his or her fashionable Montrose cocktail bars Anvil and Refuge, however the enterprise companions are doing far more across the metropolis to save lots of Houston’s older bars. Previously 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…utterly 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 wish 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 properly that we thought we might do one thing comparable for Blue Lagoon, which was in the same place.
What are some measures you’ve taken to realize the belief of regulars?
Properly, I feel in Montrose, once 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 reside 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 attempting to get to know folks and earn their belief as a brand new identification, versus an identification 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 vital to take care of these kinds of bars in Houston?
I feel we’re in a hyperaccelerated novelty cycle in relation to eating places and bars, the place persons are craving what’s new as a result of it provides them social fairness on their social media feeds. The ramifications of which might be that older locations don’t get the identical consideration, and their worth in a really aggressive restaurant and bar area has been lowered as a result of they don’t provide the identical social fairness {that a} newer enterprise does. That implies that older areas are actually threatened.
And never solely that, however plenty of these older areas particularly are owned by folks from the boomer technology which might be getting older in life and are retirement and are dealing with rising prices in hire, insurance coverage, and different issues which might be making it arduous 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 are going to miss them.
