Tuesday Overnight Open Thread - June 10, 2025 [scampydog]

Good evening and thank you for checking in on the Tuesday, ONT - Dive Bar edition. We have a bit of guest blogging this evening. Scroll down below the fold for the read. We'll see you in the comments - bring your DIVE BAR tales. And wisdom.

Raise a glass and a warm welcome to our Moron friend, Pete Bog. He is back with another round of almost world famous, Bog's Rules. Subject this evening? DIVE BARS! Take it away, Pete Bog.

***

I have been thinking about what constitutes a DIVE BAR! In the pursuit of knowledge, I have an obligation to present my views from a fully informed perspective. To round out my DIVE BAR! observational experience, I elected to study a great treatise on the subject, the movie "Road House." Not the namby pamby remake that I haven't seen but the original 1989 version which contains so much reality that it must be based on a true story about a Dive Bar.

For the three of you who missed this movie the protagonist is a stereotypical bar bouncer. You have seen the type. Dalton, a hulking 5'10" on his tip-toes behemoth, 155 pounds dripping wet. He is so good at his craft as a bar bouncer that he commands a fortune driving to each new gig in his high dollar Mercedes, like a frontier Marshall from days gone by. After accepting the new job, he stashes the hot rod in a picturesque local barn adjacent to a beautiful lake and an unoccupied and tastefully decorated loft apartment. He switches to a barely moving beater which he purchases from a friendly and not at all shady local used car dealer. And then he goes to work at the dive bar as the Head Bouncer. Here is why I know it is reality based. He immediately has conflict with the incompetent incumbent staff. Happens every time.

You can guess where this goes. In a workman's comp related incident, he is referred to the local emergency room where he presents his big five inch "medical" record to impress the smoking hot blonde doctor in a minidress. She swoons, he swoons and does Tai Chi. I cannot recount the number of times this has happened to me. When I open my DIVE BAR! I will certainly make a bouncer trained in classical ballet my first hire.

Push comes to shove, best buddy gets murdered, bad guy bodies stack up, justice prevails. This move has absolutely nothing to do with dive bars. Even the blind musician.

A DIVE BAR! is the earthly manifestation of a Unicorn. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, their existence can only be established by personal experience, and the qualities necessary to a DIVE BAR! are very difficult to specify. Nonetheless, I will present to you.

Bog's Rules for A DIVE BAR!

1. It must have a Juke Box.

2. The Juke Box must be able to play David Allan Coe's masterpiece "You Never Even Called Me by My Name" which is in fact the greatest Country song ever. As stated by no less authority than David Allan Coe. Depending on the level of intoxication Patsy Cline may be a substitute. In France, La Vie en Rose will not suffice as that would be a Café, only Lily Von Schtupp singing "I'm Tired."

Rules 1 and 2 may be disregarded if the DIVE BAR! has a sand floor and view of the ocean.

***

Thank you, Pete Bog! Laughs per line of content - one for the record book. Well done, Bog.

Tons of links out there for the "Best Dive Bar." Linking the Scoundrels Field Guide solely based on the name of their website.

What say you Horde? What makes a good DIVE BAR!? What is your go to for peanut dust, sticky floors, heavy pours, and people watching?

Shout out to the Coach House on Indian School Road in Old Town Scottsdale, AZ. They've been in business since 1959, and refer to themselves as Scottsdale's Oldest Dive Bar.

DIVE BAR! accessory. A bit of Old Swill on tap now and again is better than drinking out of an old leather shoe.

And a few items seen in a DIVE BAR or three!

Neon signs? Some fun stuff at the link.

Even cooler? Classic beer signs. Tin Over Cardboard (TOC) signs.

One of the most iconic users of tin over cardboard signs were breweries, which began using them for advertising in the late 19th century. These signs, featuring the distinctive designs and became fixtures in taverns, bars, and distributors across the county. During World War II, tin became a valuable resource for the war effort, leading to a decline in the production of tin over cardboard signs. Many existing signs were repurposed or recycled to support the war effort, making surviving examples from this era particularly rare and sought after by collectors. After the war, the golden age of signs began to wane as new advertising mediums such as television and radio gained prominence. Many signs were discarded or replaced with newer materials, contributing to their scarcity today.

Vintage Beer ads. These are great. If linking in comments, please use a link shortener - like tinyurl or similar.

Hamm's 47 minutes -some gems in there

Henry Weinhard's. Stick with it to the end.

RainDog . Rainier Beer had some gems.

Jukebox history. Seeburg, Rock-Ola, Wurlitzer, and more.

Is the jukebox destined for extinction or just a rebirth for a mobile world? Here's a rundown of what really happened in the course of jukebox history.

DIVE BARS!, a jukebox, and raspy/sexy voices go together like grit and charm - rough, but somehow still fuego. Or is it eyeliner at midnight and questionable decisions?

Someone is fresh out of emotional give-a-damn.

Give that guy a medal or something! 🤣 pic.twitter.com/d2yZXAiNLj

— Dr. Clown, PhD (@DrClownPhD) June 9, 2025

This ONT brought to you by: Keep hammering the message - it's pretty obvious which side lacks merit.

Calling out the media!!! pic.twitter.com/hhh0Aq49kw

— A Man Of Memes (@RickyDoggin) June 5, 2025

Please send Tapcon screws, 5/32 masonry bits, and a Peanut Buster Parfait to: scampydog at proton dot me

posted by Open Blogger at 10:00 PM

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