Remembering E-town Bars that are no-more

Up the Irons

Registered User
Mar 9, 2008
7,681
389
Canada
i forgot about Santanas. also, is the Gas Pump still there?

how bout Shanana's?

i used go to Senor Frog's once in a awhile; great cigar room.

and, what was the roadhouse on St. Albert Trail? Johnny C's?
 
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PBandJ

If it didn't happen in the 80's, it didn't happen
Jan 5, 2012
12,973
4,005
Edmonton, Alberta
Squires, can't believe it's still around.

They were shut down for a long time, they just got new ownership who are trying to make it a live music/local talent kind of place and have been actively working to distance themselves from the college frat/bro culture they used to have. I work security on Whyte and was ready for hell when they reopened, but they've got their shit together.
 
Oct 15, 2008
40,423
5,396
Goose Loonie became the Thunderdome became the Tonic became the (I forget) and is now Union Hall. It's Argyll Hotel on Argyll Road/99 Street. There's also an ice rink known simply as Argyll there if you ever played men's hockey.

I participated in the Thunderdome era mostly and at that time it was a large two storey club venue with stage for occasional mid-sized acts. I think Goose Loonies was similar but less concerts, but I really don't know.

Union Hall is similar still but seems focussed on the concert portion rather than the night club portion.
Goose Loonies was a dance club. Think Club Malibu, if you knew what that was. Goose Loonies had drink specials when the Oilers would score during playoff games. It was a pretty good place to go watch the games during the cup run years.
 
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Peter Zezel

Registered User
Sep 12, 2003
983
31
Two places I used to goto that I haven't seen mentioned are Vinyl above the old Oil City Road House and Globe just off Jasper Avenue.

Ezzies and Cowboys were pretty good back in the day. I still remember the bell at the back bar of Ezzies for tips haha
 
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McShogun99

Registered User
Aug 30, 2009
17,790
13,182
Edmonton
Does anyone remember 25 cent highball night at bars like Thunderdome, Lush, Rebar and many others during the 90's?

Everyone's tables were covered in drinks. You'd spend $20 and look like a baller.
 

dustrock

Too Legit To Quit
Sep 22, 2008
8,360
981
Does anyone remember 25 cent highball night at bars like Thunderdome, Lush, Rebar and many others during the 90's?

Everyone's tables were covered in drinks. You'd spend $20 and look like a baller.

Oh yeah. I remember 50¢ vodka slimes.

Bad bad, real bad.
 

CantHaveTkachev

Legends
Nov 30, 2004
49,452
29,190
St. OILbert, AB
Two places I used to goto that I haven't seen mentioned are Vinyl above the old Oil City Road House and Globe just off Jasper Avenue.

Ezzies and Cowboys were pretty good back in the day. I still remember the bell at the back bar of Ezzies for tips haha
Globe had great wing Wednesday’s..
And Ezzies had the hottest women go there..hate country music but loved Ezzies
 
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Took a pill in Sbisa

2showToffoliIwascool
Apr 23, 2004
16,259
6,976
Australia
Does anyone remember 25 cent highball night at bars like Thunderdome, Lush, Rebar and many others during the 90's?

Everyone's tables were covered in drinks. You'd spend $20 and look like a baller.

Wasn't just the 90s. When Thunderdpne turned into Union there was still 25 cent hiballs as late as 2006
 

Drivesaitl

Time to Drive
Oct 8, 2017
45,304
54,859
Duck hunting
**** me, I wouldn't be alive if we had 25 cent highballs.

This, unfortunately, happened to a lot of people. Due to overconsumption these places had a lot more fights, extremely impaired driving, impaired judgement and the effects to the body and liver.

Plus you have to wonder what kind of ethyl alcohol is being trotted out back to allow 25 cent sales. Hell, just hit people with ether..
 
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McShogun99

Registered User
Aug 30, 2009
17,790
13,182
Edmonton
This, unfortunately, happened to a lot of people. Due to overconsumption these places had a lot more fights, extremely impaired driving, impaired judgement and the effects to the body and liver.

Plus you have to wonder what kind of ethyl alcohol is being trotted out back to allow 25 cent sales. Hell, just hit people with ether..

It was the actual alcohol, some bars might have watered it down. I knew bartenders that would water down drinks on normal nights to increase their tips since their payout was based on the weight of the alcohol.
 

Bangers

Registered User
May 31, 2006
3,919
868
This, unfortunately, happened to a lot of people. Due to overconsumption these places had a lot more fights, extremely impaired driving, impaired judgement and the effects to the body and liver.

Plus you have to wonder what kind of ethyl alcohol is being trotted out back to allow 25 cent sales. Hell, just hit people with ether..

Way back in the day, I actually used to work at a club that had 25 cent draft.

Believe it or not, it was just regular Labatt Blue.

I won't comment on how frequently the beer lines were flushed though.
 

Drivesaitl

Time to Drive
Oct 8, 2017
45,304
54,859
Duck hunting
Way back in the day, I actually used to work at a club that had 25 cent draft.

Believe it or not, it was just regular Labatt Blue.

I won't comment on how frequently the beer lines were flushed though.

Thanks for the info.

The beer lines were flushed through constant gusher use...;)

I'd take my chances with that generally being that theres alcohol as disinfectant in it versus how often a convenience store or Subway or some such cleans out their pop machines.


This is funny, being I'm a general tightwad, but I never met any of these 25 cent drink places. That said I tended to avoid places where people were really higher than kites. Happy hour to me, from what I've seen, is often anything but that.

Other than that I'm kind of finicky. I love Rum, but the right rums. None of this Bacardi shit they serve in places. Watered down is worse. Way to ruin a drink. I'd rather have a good drink and pay for it but that said the best are found at home mixed the way I like.
 

Gord

Registered User
Oct 9, 2005
9,830
481
Edmonton
It was the actual alcohol, some bars might have watered it down. I knew bartenders that would water down drinks on normal nights to increase their tips since their payout was based on the weight of the alcohol.

I know for a fact you were getting short pours for cheap highballs, or the places that had 2 for 1, or 3 for 1 highballs.

If you got a full ounce over 3 drinks you were doing well.

Lets not even talk about the places that recycled beer.
 

booyakasha

Registered User
Oct 11, 2007
11,823
5,632
Edmonton, AB
Cheers and Rock Central Station with the $1.75 bottle beer.
Purple Onion power hour from 8 - 9 with $ 1.00 highballs. (no limit either, you could order 3 triple rye and coke at a time)
Rock City on Thursdays.
 

shoop

Registered User
Jul 6, 2008
8,333
1,911
Edmonton
i forgot about Santanas. also, is the Gas Pump still there?

I just checked out the Gas Pump. Signs in the window that it's 'closed for renovations'.

No idea how long it's been closed, but from the looks of the parking lot it's not an active worksite.
 

rboomercat90

Registered User
Mar 24, 2013
14,598
8,770
Edmonton
Does anyone remember 25 cent highball night at bars like Thunderdome, Lush, Rebar and many others during the 90's?

Everyone's tables were covered in drinks. You'd spend $20 and look like a baller.
I remember the Purple Onion for this. I remember my table full of highballs but I don’t remember drinking them, lol. Drinking sure was cheap back then.
 

Mighty Makar

I hate this fu*ken team
May 24, 2016
14,547
15,680
Anyone remember a bar/club called Standard? Been there a few times. The first time I went there, I was told to take off my hat, so I did. Then they didn’t like the shoes I was wearing (Jordan’s), so I left. Went back a few weeks later wearing skate shoes and got in. I have been to so many bars that you guys have mentioned. I’m old!

I think Standard took over Barry T’s now that I think of it. What about the Cecil Hotel? Lol
 
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