Economic hard times can be a blessing or a curse for bars and taverns. People like to celebrate good times and drown sorrows by heading out for a few drinks. While this has led to some security for these establishments in the past, lately more and more empty seats are appearing. The tip buckets get downgraded to tip jars, and everyone on the other end of the shaker and draft tap suffers. To combat the decline in patronage, a few notable local joints have taken some interesting steps in the right direction.

Wifi 

We hold unofficial offices at Will's Pub, The Peacock Room, Finnhenry's, and McRaney’s Tavern thanks to this perk. As business becomes more web-centric, a bar with an internet connection is an ideal place to meet new clients or conduct a casual meeting with staff over a few drinks. The presence of signal also opens up the entertainment options for a venue. WPRK's Filtered Sunshine radio show has recently begun doing live shows from the Peacock Room, thanks to their internet connection.

Embracing Social Networking 

Keeping people informed of specials and events at a bar used to be the job of a bi-fold chalk board on the sidewalk and the bum paid 3 dollars and 2 beers an hour to hand out flyers, but in the age of Facebook and MySpace, things have evolved. You can no doubt find a profile for your favorite local joint, and upon friending them, get weekly (if not daily) updates of everything from live music to happy hour deals. Profiles, we've found, are usually maintained by the bartenders and staff themselves, not just to keep you informed, but to insure that their favorite (read best tipping and friendly) regulars get RSVP'd to all the big shows.

Art 

Unless the dozen or so shots your took at the bar blinded you, you've probably noticed a new focal point at a few of your local bars. The addition of paintings, sculptures, and photography galleries to our local establishments has not only added to the ambiance and conversation of the joint but also provides a new venue to present the works of talented locals.

Community Support 

When the cost of advertising and promotion becomes too high to reasonably consider (except for this publication’s ad rates, wink wink), bars and clubs return to the time honored adage “You Scratch My back...” A booze-providing business has a lot of things to offer to community and cultural events, be it hosting a function for a local group or charity or throwing out a sign and a free keg for performances and gatherings.

Redefining Bar Games

Our generation continues its appreciation (hey, that rhymes) for the classics of pool, darts, and nude photo hunt, but its tastes are quickly being altered by what's available to them at home. Yep, Video Games. While gamers formerly lived lives of solitude and easily traceable virginity, the modern experience has become more communal. On occasion, you'll see a “Street Fighter” tourney going down on the stage of Will’s Pub, and Peacock Room has taken to setting up a Wii Sports on the occasional weeknight to draw in those who can hold a beer in one hand and throw a fictional bowling ball with the other.

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