Listen to this articleAll recent drama in the nightlife world aside, fall is approaching and the cool evening weather has arrived. I am most excited to be able to escape from a club and feel the cool night breeze instead of sweating like I’m still on the dance floor.
So what’s happening in this upcoming season? Well, the obvious is Salt Lake City now has another Saturday night venue – Babylon. That’s right. If you haven’t already heard (and I can’t imagine how you couldn’t have) Babylon has reopened and is already taking some patrons from other establishments.
However, I for one am getting sick of the ever-growing competitive nature of our nightlife spots. I understand that businesses are open (at the end of the day in both senses here) to make a profit, and to make a profit you must have a vast majority of our community frequenting and spending money. That said, ideally what I would like to see is more collaboration between these fine bars, clubs and lounges. We have enough people in this world who are “against us;” we cannot turn on each other for the mere sake of ego, profit or “he who dies with the most customers wins.”
Here’s how it could work.
JAM, for example, is the spot to go between 9–11 p.m. on any given night (and especially during special events, parties or holidays). The staff is friendly, the drinks are cold, the environment is safe and most of us are accustomed to it. People drink and spend money but aren’t too “tipsy” before they move on (possibly becoming a “problem child” somewhere else).
Maybe if you show up to Pure with a JAM stamp you could get free admission no matter the time. Or if you show up to Edge the next night after venturing to Pure you get a free cocktail. Regardless the incentive, I hope to see our community come closer together rather than push one another apart.
Basically, this isn’t San Diego where competitive bars work because the community is spread out and can support such a situation. This is Salt Lake City and we’re close like Cheers “where everybody knows your name” (well, to an extent, obviously). But it’s true. Utah has a large lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and many who go out are the same people that go out weekly.
Fall brings nicer weather and beautiful scenery. Let’s see that same beauty come out of collaborative efforts from our community bars, clubs and lounges and get some enticing deals going to get us prepared for winter when we all hibernate in our preferred destinations.
