The Regent Street Retreat, located at 1206 Regent St., recently held a Cutty Black 100 Proof Whisky promotion. Perhaps you have seen the suggestive ads, featuring a woman in a black thong on her knees in front of a larger-than-life bottle protected by an equally large hissing serpent.
The sexual imagery of the product’s ad is not meant to be subtle, and neither are its promotional events. These feature scantily clad ladies in leather bustiers, bikini bottoms and fishnet stockings. In the case of the Regent Street Retreat, the event also displayed cage dancing by the attractive Cutty girls, along with an amateur dance contest for money and prizes.
When the girls finally took to the elevated cage one-by-one, the place erupted with applause, hoots and hollers. One comment overheard was, “It looks like she’s making out with the bars in the cage!” Although the dancers were fully clothed, their performance was undeniably hot and pushed the R-rating envelope.
More importantly, the girls enjoy their job. “It is a lot fun, and it is hard to deny the sexual power you feel when everybody is staring at you,” explained Kelly, one of the Cutty girls.
Granted, cage dancing as a liquor promotion might not be for everybody. It does succeed in filling the bar, and many will try Cutty Black for the first time. “It is one of the best promotions of any company I have ever seen,” bartender David Andren said.
The Cutty events are mere sampling of what you can expect at the Regent Street Retreat. Together with its adjacent live music venue, the Annex, the Regent Street Retreat is one of the campus area’s largest and most diverse bars.
“A lot of times it depends on the entertainment as to the crowd you will see in the bar,” Andren said. In the course of a week, the shows could range anywhere from reggae, world, heavy metal, punk and pop music. “You’ll never know what to expect, and that keeps it exciting,” he added.
Pat McCurdy plays at the Annex every Tuesday night. Easily one of the most-popular campus entertainers, the show is more than worth the $5 cover. His devoted fans might argue the show is a mandatory prerequisite to graduation.
The Annex is open only for performances and special events. It features a large number of 18-and-older shows, a welcome sign for a city with little to offer to such a demographic.
Due to city restrictions, the bar only serves limited specials in two-week intervals.
The beauty of such an arrangement is the ever-changing nature of what to try. Last week, for example, the special was Stoli. This week, it is Kahlua. Always offered at $3 per mixed drink, the specials are an affordable way to taste something different.
The Retreat is an easy-going kind of place, a quality reflected in its favorable pricing. Rail mixers are $3 and top-shelf mixers max out at $3.75. A double top-shelf is only $5.25.
There are a handful of beers on tap, ranging from $2.75 to $3.50 a pint. Typical of many Madison bars, the Retreat’s low-budget beer is PBR for $1.50. Roughly 50 types of bottled beer are available for $2.75 to $3.75.
Such a drink menu sounds rather uncreative, but in reality it allows for creativity by the bartenders. “Some bartenders make a great Sex on the Beach, while others might make a good Bloody Mary — all you need to do is ask,” Andren said.
In letting each bartender create his or her own niche, they develop a following, and the regulars know which bartender to go to for different drinks. “It lets people interact more with the person behind the counter,” Andren added.
Such discourse is fun and keeps the night from getting stale. Whether it’s talking to a leggy Cutty girl, or a friendly bartender, the Regent Street Retreat succeeds in keeping it fresh.
Bartime will return next semester for more adventures. Let’s raise a glass to our graduates for a job well done! For the rest us, enjoy the holidays, and I’ll see you next time at the bar. Cheers!
