Best Campustown Bars by Decade

[dahliaclone]

A couple of other places late 80s. A British place maybe called the underground. Also a deli on west side of campus.

West Street Deli?

 

[houjix]

"There are a lot of people that go to college 7 years"

"Yes, they're called Doctors"

Wasn't in school for all of that time period.

 

[cycloneML]

West Street Deli?

Not sure. 86-90

 

[KnappShack]

I think this is a mostly complete list of what's been in the building that's currently occupied by Outlaws. Might have missed something here and there. Businesses had a tendency to change over breaks, hence the overlap in years.

If time allows, I may dig into some other addresses.

2522 Chamberlain	1972-73	Rippey's Orchard
	1973-77	Jolly's Place and Pizza Emporium
	1977-80	Alibi (aka Fast Eddie's Alibi)
	1980	Billboard Lounge / Spaghetti and Pizza Factory
	1981	Billboard Lounge / Club Chamberlain
	1982	Billboard / Johnny's Ringside Lounge
	1983-84	Billboard / Stereo Sound Studios
	1984-86	State's Fieldhouse / Stereo Sound Studios
	1986	Beamer's / Stereo Sound Studios
	1987-88	Beamer's
	1989-90	Beamer's / Foul Play
	1991-92	The Coliseum
	1993-94	The Coliseum / Last Call
	1994-95	The Coliseum / Shamrox!
	1995	Dean's List / Temporary Enrollment
	1996-99	Dean's List
	1999-2001	Dean's List / New Tazzles (aka Tazzles 2)
	2001-04	Big Shots
	2004-06	Reign
	2006-07	Reign / Element / Outlaws
	2007	Reign / Outlaws
	2008-24	Outlaws

Johnny's Ringside Lounge??

Ames couldn't handle that level of goddam class!

 

[crs8975]

2007-2011:

Mickeys
Paddy's/Sips
Headliners (and then Charlie Yokes)
AJ's (when it was still on Lincoln)
WAS
Cy's
Es Tas

But most importantly: Angie's for 2am breakfast.

Original Angie's was the best when it was just open all night and then closed during the day. I remember walking in one morning at roughly 5am after my roommate and I decided to walk back to Freddy from whatever you'd call the West Towne Pub area.

 

[crs8975]

Monday at the Cave In for dime draws dollar pitchers. The best was that pitchers had a $1 deposit, everyone would get so wasted they would not take their pitchers back for the deposit. Me and the buddies would "help" by clearing the tables and would collect enough refunds to fund our drinking for the rest of the week.

Friday FAC, starting at the Union. A little foggy on this but on the outside patios of the Union satrting at 3:00 they had cheap beer (25 cents, I think), live music, and grilled brats. Then head to the Cave In or Beamers for more 25 cent draws and scope out the ladies. Then hit Hardees on the way home for 3 burgers for a buck.

Lived on a floor with FB players who also were bouncers, so got all kinds of additional "specials" throughout the week.

Not a true bar, but there was a Duds and Suds on welch Ave where you could drink beer while doing laundry. Did it a few times just for ***** and giggles.

Not really campus town but in the Spring, would head out to Destinations on Hwy 30, Ames "only 5 level Night Club" for their wet T-Shirt competitions. Never had to pay a cover as always had a connection.

I went to school in the wrong decade.

 

[crs8975]

Everything was better during the summer. Smaller crowds meant smaller lines, especially since we did way more weeknight drinking during the summer.

I only spent one summer in Ames when I was of legal drinking age before my last semester in '08. What a great summer that was!

 

[thuner]

What was the bar above cave in in 1990?

 

[thuner]

What was the bar above cave in in 1990?

They had $2 60oz pitchers

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

What was the bar above cave in in 1990?

Earlier than that it was the Lucky Q.

 

[BoomerClone]

I was basically there for the entire Dean's List era. My mug is still floating around the house somewhere.

My mug made it until my last move 4 years ago. I used it as a water mug at work for many years.

 

[TheCaptain]

A couple of other places late 80s. A British place maybe called the underground. Also a deli on west side of campus.

Gilligans.

 

[CyclonesRock]

What was the bar above cave in in 1990?

No idea. In the 80's it was a gym.

 

[ClubCy]

Ames in the summer was 100% the best.
Time slowed down.
Those beers on the Mickeys patio were better.
Disc golf.
Maybe head to DSM for a nooner ICubs game.
Dollar movie theater matinee.
Ease of shopping at stores.

This brought some intense nostalgia. I disc golfed at Carroll Marty daily in the summer. I honestly don't remember how I had any money to live because I wasn't working. Plasma maybe? It's weird how easy it is to make it work when you get used to being poor.

When I get nostalgia about Ames…Summer is the first thing that comes to mind. The city cleared out, everyone was working bull**** jobs and taking classes so it seemed like everyone was around at all times.

Pool parties daily, sand volleyball, disc golf, house parties and bars weren’t packed or shoulder to shoulder, friend groups merged and new friends were made. It was the best.

No one who left understood when we told them about it but my friends to this day who stuck still bring it up.

 

[TheCaptain]

No idea. In the 80's it was a gym.

Bodyworks.

 

[cycloneML]

No idea. In the 80's it was a gym.

Little Tai Pei late 80s I believe

 

[CyPhallus]

I think this is a mostly complete list of what's been in the building that's currently occupied by Outlaws. Might have missed something here and there. Businesses had a tendency to change over breaks, hence the overlap in years.

If time allows, I may dig into some other addresses.

2522 Chamberlain	1972-73	Rippey's Orchard
	1973-77	Jolly's Place and Pizza Emporium
	1977-80	Alibi (aka Fast Eddie's Alibi)
	1980	Billboard Lounge / Spaghetti and Pizza Factory
	1981	Billboard Lounge / Club Chamberlain
	1982	Billboard / Johnny's Ringside Lounge
	1983-84	Billboard / Stereo Sound Studios
	1984-86	State's Fieldhouse / Stereo Sound Studios
	1986	Beamer's / Stereo Sound Studios
	1987-88	Beamer's
	1989-90	Beamer's / Foul Play
	1991-92	The Coliseum
	1993-94	The Coliseum / Last Call
	1994-95	The Coliseum / Shamrox!
	1995	Dean's List / Temporary Enrollment
	1996-99	Dean's List
	1999-2001	Dean's List / New Tazzles (aka Tazzles 2)
	2001-04	Big Shots
	2004-06	Reign
	2006-07	Reign / Element / Outlaws
	2007	Reign / Outlaws
	2008-24	Outlaws

This is great nice work. Interested to see what building you do next.

 

[Clone5]

Please tell me others remember the short lived Cafe Mood. It may have just been a fever dream.

 

[Ben4Cy]

Back in my day it 1980-85 it was Thumbs. Gin and tonics for $0.75 on Thursday nights. Thumbs was where Subway is now. Thumbs was two floors of fun!

thursdays were the the best (worse) days of my week. thumbs had pitchers of gin and tonic every thursday for 4$ - and they used 3/4 a bottle of well gin in each pitcher. this was when it was by mothers on west street.

drink a pitcher to yourself and play pool for a bit. go to mug night on welch at paddys and mickeys

wake up in the laundry room with an empty boxes of wings and pokey styx from gumbys

gumbys was a probelm and its probably a semi-good thing it closed

 

[Ben4Cy]

Please tell me others remember the short lived Cafe Mood. It may have just been a fever dream.

was this on welch and occupied where sgt peppers once was? that place was weird it had one U shaped bar and a bunch of leather couches