With its insult-slinging servers, Dick's Last Resort is the consummate concept bar.
In fact, the success of Dick's Last Resort makes you wonder: What are some other great ideas for themed bars?
Over the years, some readers and I have hashed out a few tantalizing ideas on my blog, Midnight Sun (baltimoresun.com/midnightsun). If Dick's can pull it off, why can't these? Here are three of our ideas that might just be the next nightlife franchise in the making.
Fumbles
Every sports bar promotes winning, but none of them celebrate losing. That's where Fumbles: The Sports Bar for Losers comes in. We'd corner the market.
Fumbles would celebrate silly mistakes that cost sports teams big. For example, there would be a shrine honoring Joe Pisarcik's notorious fumble in the Miracle at the Meadowlands. Let's not forget the specialty drink list. How about the Timeout martini, in honor of Chris Webber's infamous flub? I already have a slogan picked out: "Come to Fumbles — where losers win!"
Believe it or not, there already is a sports bar called Fumbles, in Iowa. I called them, and they said they're just your average sports bar — nothing about losing. They have no idea what they're missing. I do, though.
The Rub-a-Dub Club
People love lounging, drinking and hot tubs. Why not bring together all three?
Instead of booths, the Rub-a-Dub Club would be filled with hot tubs, which we'd call Love Buckets. Saucy! The drink list would feature fizzy drinks such as gin and tonics and champagne. That way, customers could enjoy a bubbly in a bubbly. Double the bubbles, if you will.
Big Kidz Play Zone
Much like Dave & Busters (but better), This bar would take all of the games my generation enjoyed as kids and bring them into a bar setting. This includes — but is not limited to — swing sets, monkey bars, a big slide (wax paper costs $.50 a sheet) and possibly mini-golf. There would also be standard games like corn hole, beer pong, shuffleboard and the like.
Granted, there would be a liability involved with drinking and playing contact sports. But not much more of a liability than what already happens at neighborhood intramural sports gatherings that involve a children's game like kickball and kegs of beer. (I'm not naming names here.)