So there I was, crawling around South Baltimore so I coulds check out the new Kumari location (protip: the lunch buffet is like $10, free Nepalese Tea) when I saw the rearside of one Wiley Gunter’s (823 E Fort Ave, Locust Point) which features a rather large painted mural of what the place used to be called: Empty Pockets Saloon. Which is actually a pretty cool name, certainly rolls off the tongue better than Wiley Gunter’s, when I realized “This place has been like four different things in ten years.” Which in the bar business isn’t unusual at all, but be that as it may I started wondering about which bar in the city has been the most things in the shortest amount of time.
from memory, Empty Pockets Saloon —> ? —> Sky Box —> Sly Fox —> Wiley Gunter’s
Surely, the current iteration of 1542 Light St. Langermann’s on Light has to be in the top three:
Copa Cobana —> Copa 2000 —> The Royal —> Charlotte’s —> The Reserve —> 1542 Gastropub —> Langermann’s on Light
Or possibly one of the constantly changing spots in Powerplant Live? (McFadden’s, Tiki Bob’s, Lodge Bar, etc) Can any establishment top the record of six seven things in ten years? I’d be willing to list 1542 Gastropub as a fluke since it was open for literally five minutes and under the same ownership, but it seems to me like possibly that place on Boston St. that used to be Hollywood Burger Bistro (BLUGH) has probably at least equal share in changing hands.
THE WORLD MAY NEVER KNOW. UNLESS YOU LOOK AT THE PROPERTY RECORDS. WHICH TAKES FIVE SECONDS. BUT I’M LAZY.
EDIT: twiterrer @Legends_MikeK extends the timeline:
@citythatbreeds it was Copa Cabana, Copa 2000, The Royal (no e), etc. etc. I like them odds.
— Mike Kulnich (@FlyingDogMK) October 24, 2012
Candy Marie’s on Fleet has changed it’s name 3 times in the last year, may be a contender
Bleachers -> Parkside -> Candy Marie’s
I used to go the The American Revolution Tavern and Rugby Pub off Maryland Ave. That is where I first heard Love Riot. I got no clue what is there today.
OH MAN I JUST REMEMBERED – Hucka’s/Hookah’s or whatever, The Grill, Canton Arts and Entertainment, Dark Horse / Finnegan’s Wake (now closed as well), that building has to be top three easily
That address must be cursed. i think it was something before Hucka’s too
?? (a French bistro I think) –> Red Fish –> Meridian 54 –> Tangiers –> Hollywood Burger Bistro
1400 Key Highway= Wroten’s, Felix’s, Tavern on the Key, Feisty Goat Pub, Hideaways
The new winner is the place on Charles or Calvert??? X, ten, Lux, etc. etc. that place has to be the winner. It’s now called Oxygen.
What was name of the fun bar that had bikini contests on Sundays in Canton back in the late 90s right on the water and great food?