Lamp Post Lounge

[Pete]

Grand opening tonight at 919 N. Virginia. It’s a ‘70s-themed discotheque and dive bar complete with mirror balls, a big dance floor and a DJ spinning vinyl. Also a couple of pool tables, retro decor and seating areas as well as plenty of themed cocktails. Open Wed-Sat, 8PM to 2AM.

[PhiAlpha]

It’s like mega-Rockford!!!

[Bowser214]

Looks so cool! I'm going to assume smoking is allowed so it's a hard pass for me.

[PhiAlpha]

Looks so cool! I'm going to assume smoking is allowed so it's a hard pass for me.

uh, what? When was the last time smoking was allowed in a brand new bar?

[Pete]

Looks so cool! I'm going to assume smoking is allowed so it's a hard pass for me.

It's non-smoking.

[shawnw]

how is it a dive bar if it's new?

[sooner88]

how is it a dive bar if it's new?

"A dive bar is typically a small, unglamorous, eclectic, old-style bar with inexpensive drinks and may feature dim lighting, shabby or dated decor, neon beer signs, packaged beer sales, cash-only service, and a local clientele.[1] That being said, the precise definition of a dive bar is something on which people rarely agree, and is the subject of spirited debates.[2] The term dive was first used in the press in the U.S. in 1880s to describe disreputable places that were often in basements into which one "dives below".[3]"

[Bowser214]

yay non smoking! I'm so going!

[LocoAko]

Looks off to a great, very un-masked and socially non-distanced start. Been lots of pushback on social media, almost all of which is getting deleted and people blocked. Not sure what else I expected, but glad business is doing well......

[Anonymous.]

This has been happening in OKC since like June of last summer. You need a mask to enter most bars, and some of them require mask when ordering @ the counter. But for the vast majority of OKC bars have been operating like this for almost the entire pandemic year. Whatever impact it will have, has been impacting the cases here for a long time.

I don't think it is as big of a "gotcha" as you might think.

[Pete]

^

Except far more bars are far more crowded, starting in just the last 2 months.

Every operator I know has confirmed this.

[Bowser214]

It's been over a year there should be zero new cases and zero deaths but..........idiots.

[Anonymous.]

This place is no more crowded than Ednas, Collective, Wolftrap, or Kongs etc. have been the entire pandemic.

You can say what you want about the people frequenting these places, I am just saying that these people have been doing it for a long time regardless of location and protocols. Whatever impacts people gathering @ Lamppost Lounge is having, was already happening before.

[soonermike81]

About a month ago, some friends invited me out to a late lunch and happy hour. It wasn’t the plan, but one thing led to another and we ended up barhopping. It was my first time to go out to bars in over a year. We went to The Sip, Cock-O the Walk, and Lost Highway. Every single one of them was absolutely packed, and nobody except me and maybe one other stranger I saw had a mask. Who else can we shame?

[Pete]

This place is no more crowded than Ednas, Collective, Wolftrap, or Kongs etc. have been the entire pandemic.

This doesn't at all match my experience.

Nor does it match what operators at those places and more have told me.

[BDP]

This doesn't at all match my experience.

Nor does it match what operators at those places and more have told me.

Google mobility data backs that up, as well.

Relative mobility has been higher since about the beginning of march than it was for the last year in Oklahoma. Basically, the last 45 days or so have seen more people out in almost all sectors; retail, restaurants, bars, cafes, etc. The only thing that looks unchanged is work/office settings.

[HOT ROD]

Google mobility data backs that up, as well.

Relative mobility has been higher since about the beginning of march than it was for the last year in Oklahoma. Basically, the last 45 days or so have seen more people out in almost all sectors; retail, restaurants, bars, cafes, etc. The only thing that looks unchanged is work/office settings.

which rush hour traffic indicates also is returning somewhat to normal. ...

[timothy.a.owen]

Looks off to a great, very un-masked and socially non-distanced start. Been lots of pushback on social media, almost all of which is getting deleted and people blocked. Not sure what else I expected, but glad business is doing well......

COVID or no-COVID, that looks absolutely miserable! I guess I'm a little too old for that scene.

[BoulderSooner]

This doesn't at all match my experience.

Nor does it match what operators at those places and more have told me.

when side car north side reopened in june they had their best night and weekend in their history ... and it was every bit as packed as that photo

[Pete]

^

There numbers -- along with every other bar and restaurant owner I know -- are way better than they were a few months ago, which was my point.

[Urbanized]

The thing is that bars who stayed open without distancing requirements being enforced inside saw a massive influx of patrons who couldn’t get into their regular haunts, be it due to complete shut-down or due to stricter enforcement by the operator. So there were huge inequities based largely upon how seriously a bar took COVID, and a number of operators will whisper to you that last year was a record year for them.