The personality of Brothers Tavern, located on the corner of University Avenue and Lake Street, brings to mind Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous and shocking book, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Much like the principal character in Stevenson’s work, Brothers is faced with the struggle of split personality.
During the week, Brothers is much like the good-natured Dr. Jekyll. Typical of a good college bar, it is a comfortable and casual place to enjoy a drink or two after a long night at the library.
The weeknight drink specials contribute to such ease. For example, Monday night offers $4 pitchers, and Tuesday night features $1 taps and rail mixers, along with $1.50 microbrews and imports. Wednesday night’s specials are $2 domestic taps and 2-4-1 Captain and Cokes. Judging by the line all the way from the inside of the bar to the door, Wednesday, is more popular for the bar’s 10-cent buffalo-wing special, which starts promptly at 9 p.m. These specials, along with the open layout and plenty of places to sit, are some of the bar’s better qualities.
Much like Dr. Jekyll transforms into a beast at night, Brothers undergoes a similarly horrific transformation on weekends.
Perhaps one reason is because the bar has become an outright copycat. Brothers promotes a “Friday After Class” pitcher special, a term lifted from the bar across the street. If stealing the name wasn’t enough, the pricing scheme is practically identical.
While imitation might be the sincerest form of flattery, this technique screams of desperation and a lack of creativity. Nobody likes a tattle-tale, and I think there is an equal dislike for poseurs, which makes me wonder why the bar would stoop so low. We are all for competitive enterprise, but this is ridiculous, and it doesn’t fool anybody.
Brothers could also be trying too hard to be something it is not. For example, the bar’s sign indicates “Established 1967,” a notation many would believe is attributable to the bar’s longevity at this site. In reality, the bar opened in the mid-1990s, and the 1967 reference corresponds with the owner’s birth date.
I knew that the beast was rearing its ugly head last Friday, when I stepped to the door and an altercation broke out in front of me over an ID. Credit is due to the bar, and they are very strict on carding, which is a deviation from a few years ago when the bar had an opposite reputation. The scuffle was a sign of the roller coaster ride to come.
Inside, I was confronted with an avalanche of activity. I wasn’t sure if I was at a campus bar or a carnival. Looking around, I noticed a handful of Eminem wanna-bes milling about, each waiting for the real one to please stand up. In one corner, there was a guy in a red puffy-coat making out with a scantily clad girl, who apparently felt a coat on herself was unnecessary. Upstairs, there were a few dudes in cowboy hats. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but the scene felt like diversity on steroids. But oh, how could I forget the abundance of large gold chains with requisite medallions!
The atmosphere is decisively horny, and people can lose their libido at Brothers because it is dance friendly. The elevated area on the first floor tends to be the popular spot to bust a move. You’ll find plenty of booty-shakin’ and hip-grindin’ to top-40 hits like Avril Lavigne, Nelly and Christina Aguilera. When “Hot in Here” came on, I was surprised not to see a bra flying through the air, joining the many others hanging from the antlers of the mounted deer in the corner.
While the mood might scream sexuality, the odds certainly favor the ladies. The guy-to-girl ratio is about 6:1, which appears to be enough to pack the bar and offer a glimmer of hook-up hope for the men out there.
For one reason or another, the Mr. Hyde personality of Brothers is a success. There are typically long lines on the weekends, and the owners’ have branched out onto other college campuses.
For me, I’ll take my chance with Dr. Jekyll at Brothers during the week. On weekends, Mr. Hyde’s ghastly circus happens to not be my scene, and I’ll enjoy my drinks elsewhere.
Bartime will mosey on over to Genna’s Lounge, tonight, Friday, Nov. 22, at 10 p.m. Genna’s is located off Capitol Square at 105 W. Main St. and can be reached at 255-4770. Cheers!
