New bar window being installed at Pac Shores. Photo by South OB Girl
By South OB Girl
The legendary, iconic bar on Newport Avenue – Pacific Shores – is adding a front bar window overlooking the sidewalk.
Already the bar manager has been bombarded with questions.
Who do they think they are? Why would anyone change anything? If it’s been successful and been doing business since December 1941 — nearly 75 years — why change anything?
PHOTO CREDIT: Susan Winkie….
The bar manager, Jack, has several messages for the community in response to the concerns the bar window has caused.
The owner of Pac Shores and the staff had no part in the decision to add the bar window. This was the landlord’s decision. He wanted to upgrade the building. The inside will not be changing.
The window will be finished in about a month. It will be dark tinted and will try to capture the original design that people are accustomed to seeing.
Photo by South OB Girl
Jack also wanted to specify that many years ago there was a window in this location overlooking the sidewalk. It was actually the original concept at the front of the business. The recent generations have just never known it that way.
But the sentiments among those who protest spell out a strong message– Change is not easy. This must be a response to the changing landscape of Newport. The speculation is that this must be an effort to keep up with the Joneses and change with the times.
Jack has an additional message for the community —
“It’s still going to be the same place. And it is still owned by the same family.”
Additionally, this is not the first time remodeling has happened.
Things have been touched up over the years and maintenance has been done. The recent crowds have just never witnessed it.
At some point the room with the pool table was remodeled.There used to be a kitchen with sinks in the back of the bar.
Over the years the murals have been touched up and the booths have been reupholstered. Imagine what the booths would look like if the upholstery was 70 years old? After all those decades of late night revelry?!! South OB Girl has personally witnessed enough wear and tear on those booths in the last decade to be cause for future reupholstering.
Jack has been approached with such passionate dissent to the remodeling that he would personally like to emphasize that it will be the same place – and he will chain himself to jukebox (quoting him here) – if there is ever an effort to remove or change that.
As we have seen the loss of OBistro in the community after the landlord raised the rent. Also the controversy of the potential 7-Eleven on Narragansett. And as we mourn the loss of the Torrey Pine on Saratoga — we can be reminded to enjoy Pac Shores while we have it. A bar window is being added — but nothing else is being changed.
It will still be the same place. And we can be grateful we still have it.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Bummer. The “charm” has always been the “dive” nature of it and the darkness, someplace to escape the dreaded sunshine in the middle of the afternoon.
And now, how to have a drink incognito with someone other than the spouse? Any ideas? Judi, you need to do some research. This wide open spaces for bars has a downside.
Thank you to Susan Winkie for her amazing photo posted on the Social Ocean Beach Facebook page. In this photo taken during construction you can see where there used to be a window in the original building design.
Many, many comments of protest have been posted in The Ocean Beach!!! Facebook page and SOB Facebook page, as well as some comments in support of the remodel.
That old shed needs the face-lift it’s getting. Uber, Lyft, etc will bring more tourists visiting the ratty ole Gaslamp over to the beach area for booze if they advertise it more. They can make it all glass and metal like all the other upgrades on and around Newport, but they can also put more fenced-in patio areas on the sidewalk so more people can fit in there. Wouldn’t hurt to max out the 30′ height limit to either make more upgraded bar space above, or at least high density housing. They have the room. And they can have another hamburger spot like Hodad’s, but maybe a little different. With all the new bike rentals, visitors can go for a bike ride after and exercise off the booze and burgers, then feel pretty good overall.
Do you really want more tourists in The Shores? Just a thought.
They should probably stick some big umbrellas on top of that 30′ roof. I don’t know about you but I get sunburned when my head is 36 ft above the ground with no roof above me.
This really isn’t that drastic a change. It will still be good ole PacShores.
Chris – I hope so. Hope the “dive bar” tradition doesn’t get lost.
In fact, I’ll be checking it out, as my local “spot” – Shades, which was a “Cheers” bar if ever I knew one – has just closed.
Total bummer.
I know about Shades. Ate lunch there on Sunday (their last day). It’s sad but it happens. I really don’t the Shores will lose it’s dive bar tradition just because of a window. Look at Cheswick’s. The Shores might be a bit less cavey though.
they could always put…blackout shades on the window too
Funny you say that because that’s what I was thinking and somehow that didn’t transfer to my fingers when I typed.
I’m sure they had to do that during WWII.
South OB Girl emailed that Jack Panighetti is the bar manager and Kariann Medina — the owner of Pac Shores.
Hide the women and children. The degradation of Newport Avenue continues apace as The Joint is now serving beer and wine in its gated sidewalk encroachment.
In other news, The Joint had to revise its patio design and resubmit to the city, after citizens repoeted code violations on its excessive encroachment. The city just approved their revised design drawings 2 weeks ago. Keep an eye out for reconstruction of the railings.