Denny Shanahan has witnessed first-hand downtown Vancouver’s evolution and growth since the 1990s. He co-owned Shanahan’s Pub and Grill for more than a decade before moving into management at the newly opened O’Shansky’s in July.
So he’s in awe when he sees nearby restaurants, bars and live music spots not just open, but thrive.
“The evolution is just amazing,” Shanahan said.
Fifteen or 20 years ago, he said, it was enough for a bar to offer a few brews on tap to help wash down a bowl of peanuts or popcorn.
Not anymore.
Good food matters, he said, as do a diverse selection of wines, microbrews and craft beers. Engaging live entertainment is important, as well.
“That’s what you have to offer,” he said. “The days of the basic tavern or bar are over. The bistro-style, funky eclectic atmosphere is what people like.”
By his count, there are 13 such venues in the downtown area, including Fat Tuesdays Cajun Bar and Grill and the Atrium Lounge, both of which opened in late 2009 and, along with O’Shansky’s, are finding their footing in the downtown nightlife scene with new forms of entertainment.
O’Shansky’s, which opened in July at 108 W. Eighth St., is contributing to that scene by emphasizing laid-back live music.
The restaurant aims to attract the 30-and-older demographic with acoustic singer-songwriters, easy-listening blues and light classic rock.
Without a dance floor, Shanahan hopes to give diners a respite from other live acts.
“It will be a softer acoustic style,” he said. “You won’t see loud music, and you won’t get drowned out by the sound.”
While O’Shansky’s targets its niche, Fat Tuesdays Cajun Bar and Grill co-owner Janelle Blattner says her venue has found its own signature sound. Until a month ago, Fat Tuesdays, 809 Washington St., had experimented with karaoke on weekends, but it settled about a month ago on a mixture of Louisiana sounds — jazz, blues, and rhythm and blues — that reflect the restaurant’s menu and atmosphere.
“That first year, you always try to figure out what your niche is going to be, what Vancouver needs. You don’t want all the places to be the same. You want them to offer different things,” said Blattner, who also co-owns the Tip Top Too Tavern and Top Shelf.
Blattner says the Louisiana-inspired sounds set Fat Tuesdays apart.
“Downtown, there’s really nobody that’s doing blues and jazz,” she said.
The venue has booked artists such as Kimberly Hall and Northwest blues luminary Terry Robb since making the switch.
The Atrium Lounge, 606 Broadway, opened a few blocks away at around the same time as Fat Tuesdays, and has grown at such a rate that it now offers entertainment six nights a week.
The lineup ranges from open-mic nights that spotlight musicians, jugglers and comedians, to singer-songwriters and DJs spinning Top-40 and hip-hop tracks.
“We want to be as diverse as possible. We don’t want to close our doors to anybody,” said owner Pete Johnson.
The lounge has offered live music since opening in December 2009, but it started broadening its horizons in August.
“People seem to get burnt out on just having one type of entertainment to listen to all the time,” Johnson said.
The Atrium Lounge is currently hosting acoustic singer-songwriter Kent Smith on Fridays and Saturdays. Johnson said he first noticed Smith when he performed at the venue’s open-mic night a few months ago and was immediately impressed.
“He’s got a fun energy to him,” Johnson said.
Johnson says he will sometimes walk around downtown Vancouver on weekend evenings to survey the scene and notices that the walks are much less lonely than in the past. New venues are cropping up, and existing venues are building fan bases, he said.
“It could really take off. There are definitely some good spaces down here,” he said.
Shanahan says that the bustling scene is a long time coming.
“It took a long time. Frankly, it was kind of a ghost town-type of atmosphere on the weekend 15 years ago,” he said. “Now, you go down there on a Saturday night in the downtown area, and there can be a lot of people roaming around.
“It’s changed a lot. It’s really been a neat thing to see from the beginning.”
