Let Us Explore All New Geek Bars
What are geek bars?
Are you a geek? Do you love video games and cartoons? Is your favorite thing to do is stay home every weekend and play Dungeons & Dragons all day? It’s all about geek bars — their history, their culture, and the people who flock to them. Let’s take a deeper look.
Every town has alcoholics, nerds, and hipsters who like artisanal coffee or craft beer (and the respective bars that cater to them). But in some towns, there are different kinds of drinkers: those with interests in things like comics, anime, and sci-fi TV shows. They go to the geek bars.
The basic definition of a geek bar is that it’s a bar where nerds hang out. There are old-school bars that have been around since the 70s, like Ken and Mitzie’s in New York City, or The Comix in Los Angeles. But the first geek bar was The Comic Bug in San Francisco, which opened in 1987.
(That place is still around.) On the East Coast, The Comic Book Bar and First Generation Comics in Brooklyn were started by comics professionals who wanted to cater to (and encourage) their kind. (They’re still around. First Generation even has a monthly newsletter for customers.)
But there’s also a new breed of geeky bars, ones that are designed to be geeky. Some are themed after comics, like the Atomic Liquors in Las Vegas or the Star Bar in Washington DC. There’s a bar with pop culture décor called Hooters except models dressed as Wonder Woman or Storm from X-Men serve the drinks.
In downtown Chicago, Lizzie McNeill is opening Bar Beat, billed as an “artsy” nerd bar. Then there’s The Local Peasant in Austin (which has an amazing mural outside), and Ten Penny in Seattle (where you can get your very own lightsaber).
Not all geek bars are bars at all; some are strictly restaurants. Everyone knows that every anime fan can no doubt find an awesome pho place in Phoenix, or a burger joint (say, Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse) that has a whole floor devoted to Japanese comic books.
In San Francisco, there’s Japengo, which is a Japanese restaurant and bar. There’s also The Comic Compadres in Los Angeles and Be One in Houston — both of which are like your local party store for manga figurines and action figures. But the biggest category of geeky bars is probably “comic book stores with food.
Nicotine-free geek bars
The topic of nicotine-free geek bars is a hot-button issue in our country and, to be honest, I am not even sure what the first thing mentioned is.
No matter which side you are on, there are quite a few opposing views regarding the existence of nicotine free geek bars. Many people are still smoking cigarettes that come to these establishments to meet up with friends and enjoy conversation while they enjoy their tobacco-free drinks.
Second-hand smoke might be an issue for some but those individuals will want to stay outside or away from the establishment for obvious reasons that nobody would need to explain here; secondhand smoke can kill you after all (or so I’ve heard).
Another group who opposes the existence of these establishments are those who are not even old enough to legally smoke cigarettes and they fight against them because they do not want to be exposed to anything that is not menthol. Finally, there are the pet owners of large dogs, who worry that the cost of non-menthol cigarettes would cost them so much money that their pets would wish for sudden and premature death.
Here is the opposing side of the argument. Many people can afford to smoke and they choose so out of habit, not because they have become addicted to nicotine. They enjoy their tobacco-free drinks and do it for their pleasure.
But, for argument’s sake, let us all assume (for the sake of this article) that these establishments exist and were created by us humans to meet our needs for good conversation and a cool place to relax in a social setting. Well, assuming all of this is true, what would you expect the benefits of these geek bars to be?
If I were to say that these bars were created for the sole reason of saving dollars in the long run, what would you say? Would you say that the cost of good conversation and relaxation is worth it? Or, would you say that these food and drink orders are overpriced by a few hundred at least and they should be able to get their just amount in cigarettes?
What is a Geek Bar Box?
Geek Bar Box is a monthly mystery box that sends subscribers the materials necessary to make their geeky crafts! Some of our favorite materials in past boxes have been LEDs, buttons, and vintage doorknobs. The contents are always a surprise and you can be guaranteed to receive an awesome craft project each month from Geek Bar Box!
Subscribers can select their box size as well as whether they would prefer brown/black packaging or white/silver. This subscription is billed in advance and you have the option to cancel at any time.
A Geek Bar Is an Escape
These geek bars are more than just places to hang out; they’re places to escape from your normal life. Whether it’s a major city or a remote rural area, having a geek bar nearby lets you get away from your phone and social media for a while.
If you need to escape from the “real world” for a night, you’ll be happy to know that geeks are much less likely than most people to treat you like the outside world does. In addition, thanks to the proliferation of technology in daily life, many geeks simply don’t see the need for geeking out in bars anymore — they prefer getting together at home with their friends and family instead.
In the past few decades, geek culture has exploded in popularity, but in some places (especially major metropolitan areas), it can be difficult to find a place where your family, friends, and co-workers will feel at ease. Geek bars are safe spaces for geeks of all types — whether you’re playing Dungeons & Dragons or just drinking your favorite sci-fi movie quote cocktail.
