Top of Tacoma

Top of Tacoma

                Top of Tacoma Bar is a fun and easy going place to hangout. They have great drink specials and excellent food. I found myself enjoying the live music as well as their friendly service and great beer. I was especially interested in how they try to get so many people inside the doors.

Awards

                Top of Tacoma Bar was voted the best bar in Tacoma accordingly to the Weekly Volcano Reader Poll. They pride themselves in having strong drinks at affordable prices with great company to boot.

Networking

Top of Tacoma is somewhat unique as far as the other restaurants I have visited so far. Their website is very easy to navigate and obtain information from. You can easily find directions, menu items, nightly specials, as well as follow them on their various social media networks ( twitter, facebook, myspace, and yelp). One of the things I thought was interesting was that they were offering s special coupon for adding them as a friend or beginning to follow them on Twitter. I thought this was both creative and effective of the café. Their website is simple and easy to navigate, and it is actually how I originally found out about it! Obviously they must be doing something right!

Final Thoughts

Top of Tacoma is a fantastic place to go hang out and relax after work or on a weekend. They were established in 2007 and have grown since their humble beginnings. This is largely in part to their social media efforts an online presence.  I would highly recommend going and experiencing this great Bar and Café

Check out their website!  http://www.topoftacoma.com/?page_id=13

-Scott

A Local Favorite

We thought it was about time to visit a PLU favorite, The Last Exit Pub and Grill. As most of our followers and viewers know,The Exit is located right on Garfield St.  Because it does not have its liquor license they stick with serving up the regular beers. For those of you who don’t know about The Last Exit they have a few days with different events and specials:

·         Tuesday: 8pm Beer Pong Tournament

·         Wednesday: Ladies Night $1.50 Rolling Rock all night

·         Thursday: $1:50 Pint Night

This pub has truly become a bar that PLU students frequently visit. In fact not only the customers, but also the waiters and waitresses are students at PLU. This gives The Exit a very welcoming and friendly feeling. I would say they target the college student extremely well, but they do not stop at just their convenient location or hiring college students; they also have set up a Facebook page that even says its college is Pacific Lutheran University. All their marketing on the site as well as their “friends” are all directed towards PLU. Their Facebook is somewhat boring if you scroll through it but its main purpose is strictly a tool to blast out information or messages about upcoming events or drink specials that they will have during the week or upcoming weeks....

Thier FACEBOOK Page

As a college student, the atmosphere at The Last Exit is upbeat and entertaining. As a PLU student the Last Exit is a must go!

-Vic

Lady Lucks Cowgirl Up!

If you are looking for a fun night, plenty of options of liquor and beer, and a good lookin' waitress- Lady Lucks is the place for you! About a 4 minute drive down Pacific Avenue from  PLU, Lady Lucks main advertisements are their events and VIP areas. As you walk in the bar, and get by the huge bouncer, you will look to the left and see stools at the bar with stripper poles and a large open area next to the VIP area for dancing and karaoke. To your right is more of a restaurant, sit down bar for more of the relaxing experience.

One of the most unique parts of Lady Lucks is there advertising. SEX SELLS! The first lesson you learn in any marketing class is this very important fact. All the bars we have looked at previously has sold on happy hour and quality beer. Lady Lucks- all about the women! Check out their website and tell me that is not true-http://www.ladyluckscowgirlup.com/index.html. They have their employees mug shots at the bottom of the site as well. They are bragging I know. Kind of reminds me of Hooters, except Lady Lucks also has high quality food! They also discuss this on their website.

On Thursday through Saturday nights, this is the place to be! And believe me, those poles do not go wasted!

From a marketing standpoint, Lady Lucks does a great job attracting men to the bar with their "Cowgirl" reputation and fun environment. Their events and VIP options also keep Lady Lucks a hip place to be for everyone in the Parkland area. They even have Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter accounts that you can check out to see the upcoming events!

Git 'Er Done!

~ Bret

The Best, Worst Beer in America

To keep our readers entertained, as well as physically fit- here is an article from Brobible.com talking about the best and worst beers for an American. I will admit it, these picks for the best beer are not what I would say is my beer of choice for when I'm craving a cold one on a hot summer day. But on the other hand, its always nice to know what to drink to keep the dreaded calories down while enjoying man's favorite hobby!

Here is the link-     http://www.brobible.com/bronews/best-and-worst-beers-in-america

Enjoy!

~Bret

IPA'S, PORTERS, AND ALES OH MY!

As you may have figured out I enjoy a good dark beer with some flavor. So I was looking for some places where I had a wide range of options which would allow me to expand on my beer tasting. Tacoma Ale House Pub & Eatery was just the place I was looking for. The Alehouse features 64 beers on tap including several local microbrews, domestics, and imports. As an extension of the Engine House brewery in Puyallup the Alehouse features several brews called the “E9” series.

Environment

The Tacoma Alehouse is located in Fircrest, nestled into a nice neighborhood. It has a friendly atmosphere and is a place where many age groups could have a good time. The Alehouse has electronic darts, long shuffle board, pull tabs, and out door beer garden, party room reservations and oh yeah…. 64 BEERS ON TAP! They have a happy hour with great beer, wine, and spirit prices along with delicious, well portioned food. So feel free to come with your friends, family or co-workers as the Alehouse has something for everyone.

Food and Drinks

Ok, enough with the other stuff, just tell me what a bar should be about, the beer! With over 64 beer s on tap, premium well drinks, and a wide assortment of wine, the Tacoma Ale house will certainly scratch your itch. Daily Happy Hours are from 3-7pm and 10pm-close with other weeknight fun such as quiz night Wednesdays, mondo beer Monday’s and half price wine bottle Wednesday’s. During Happy hour all pints on tap are $3 and the “E9” series only $2.50.

Last Call

Overall, I am going to have a tough time forcing myself to go to another place, as I really enjoyed everything the alehouse has to offer. The only downside is that it’s about a 10 minute drive from PLU’s campus. Other than that, there staff is helpful and friendly and always looking to help you have a good time and relax. Check this place out and you’ll be glad you did.

See more at their website!  http://www.alehousepub.com/

-Scott

BURGERS & BEERS

IT SEEMED ONLY NATURAL TO FOLLOW THE LAST POST, “PIZZA PASTA PINTS”, WITH THE HARMON HUB’S COUNTERPART, THE HARMON BREWERY & EATERY. LOCATED DOWNTOWN TACOMA AT 1938 PACIFIC AVENUE, THE BREWERY & EATERY IS OPEN MONDAY-THURSDAY  11AM-11PM, FRIDAY-SATURDAY 11AM-12AM, AND SUNDAY 10AM-9PM. SIMILAR TO THE HUB, THE BREWERY & EATERY HAS THE HARMON BREWS ON TAP. HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE “AMERICAN” TO EAT, YOU ARE GOING TO WANT TO CHECK OUT THE BREWERY & EATERY.

THE ENVIRONMENT

THE GENERAL ENVIRONMENT AT THE HARMON BREWERY & EATERY IS ALSO HISTORIC. THE CLASSIC DOWNTOWN TACOMA BUILDING IS COMFORTABLE AND RELAXING, YET ENTERTAINING AND FUN AT THE SAME TIME. THE GENERAL RESTAURANT AREA IS PERFECT FOR LARGE GROUPS OR FAMILIES, AND THE BAR IS SET UP WELL FOR YOU AND A COUPLE FRIENDS TO ENJOY SOME DRINKS.  WHILE YOU ARE IN THE BUILDING THE WOODEN FLOORS, CHAIRS, WALLS AND TABLES MIGHT GIVE YOU THE FEEL OF A CABIN UP IN THE MOUNTAINS.  THE MUSIC PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND IS FAINT BUT IS NOT COMPLETELY MASKED BY ALL THE CHATTER FROM NEIGHBORING TABLES AND DON’T WORRY ABOUT MISSING AN IMPORTANT GAME DURING DINNER BECAUSE THERE ARE WALL MOUNTED TV’S EASILY VISIBLE FROM ANY AREA IN THE RESTAURANT OR BAR.

FOOD AND DRINKS

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE FOOD IS MORE “AMERICAN” IN COMPARISON TO ITS COUNTERPART, THE HUB. THERE ARE THE TRADITIONAL STARTERS AND YOU CAN EVEN GET THE PASTA OR STONE BAKED PIZZAS LIKE AT THE HUB, BUT THE REAL REASON YOU WANT TO EAT HERE IS THEIR BURGERS. WITHOUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE JUICIEST AND MOST FLAVORFUL BURGERS I HAVE EVER HAD (HARMONGOUS BURGER).  THEY ALSO HAVE A VARIETY OF SANDWICHES AVAILABLE ALONG WITH VEGGIE SUBSTITUTES. AND OF COURSE, WHAT IS A BURGER OR SANDWICH WITHOUT FRIES TO GO ALONG WITH IT. THE HARMON BREWERY & EATERY HAVE WHAT THEY CALL “FAMOUS PARMESAN GARLIC FRIES” THAT COMPLEMENT ANY BURGER OR SANDWICH PERFECTLY. SPEAKING OF COMPLEMENTING, THEIR MENU EVEN RECOMMENDS WHAT HARMON BEER GOES THE BEST WITH YOUR MEAL. LIKE THE HUB, THE HARMON BREWS ARE OFFERED AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE, BUT IF YOU ARE IN THE MOOD FOR SOMETHING STRONGER THERE IS A FULL BAR SO FEEL FREE TO REQUEST WHATEVER MIXED DRINK OR SHOTS THAT YOU WANT.

DAILY SPECIALS

LIKE MANY RESTAURANTS, THE HARMON BREWERY AND EATERY USES DAILY SPECIALS AND EVENTS TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS. MONDAYS ARE HAPPY HOUR FROM 3PM-CLOSE WITH LIVE MUSIC FROM 8PM-10PM. TUESDAYS ARE $5 STEAK AND RIB NIGHT. WEDNESDAYS ARE TRIVIA NIGHT FROM 6PM-8PM. THURSDAYS ARE “TAKEOVER NIGHT” WHERE THE RESTAURANT WILL HELP YOU FUNDRAISE MONEY FOR A CAUSE. FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS ARE HAPPY HOUR FROM 3PM-6PM AND THEN 10PM-CLOSE. SUNDAYS ARE KIDS EAT FREE, HALF PRICE WINE, $3 PINTS, AND ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH AND CHIPS FOR $10.99.

LAST CALL

BECAUSE OF THEIR LOCATION IN DOWNTOWN TACOMA, RIGHT NEXT TO UWT AND THE MUSEUM DISTRICT, THE TARGET MARKET IS A COMBINATION OF BOTH LOCAL PEOPLE AND TOURISTS. WITH THEIR PRICES FOR FOOD AND DRINKS ALONG WITH THE ATMOSPHERE, THE GENERAL AGE RANGE LEANS MORE TOWARDS 21-35. IN FACT, IN HOPES TO ATTRACT THIS GENERATION OF YOUNG ADULTS, THERE ARE ADVERTISEMENTS FOR JOINING THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE ON THE TABLES. THIS RESTAURANT EASILY ATTRACTS STUDENTS FROM UWT AND COULD EVEN BRING SOME UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND STUDENTS OVER FOR REGULAR VISITS DURING THE WEEK OR WEEKENDS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY FOR PLU STUDENTS IT IS A LITTLE FAR TO BE YOUR REGULAR HANG OUT SPOT. HOWEVER DO NOT LET THAT DISCOURAGE YOU FROM AT LEAST TRYING IT; I HIGHLY RECOMMEND PLANNING A VISIT SOMETIME SOON

Check them out here!

....Written by Vic Bull

PIZZA, PASTA, PINTS

The Harmon Hub should definitely be on your list of places to visit. Whether you are looking for some good munch or delicious brew, The Hub has what you need. The Hub features the Harmon Brewing beers on tap and at a reasonable price. The Hub is a small restaurant which specializes in wood-fire baked pizzas and rich creamy pastas.

THE ENVIRONMENT

            The Hub is nestled into downtown Tacoma with a scenic view of the water. The inside has a “historic” look with many black and white photos and earthy coloring. They are open from 11am-11pm which means you can stop by for lunch, an early dinner or a late night date. Many large tables make it ideal for large groups, or if you’re by yourself, you can step right up to the bar. The building also has two unique large rolling doors that they roll up when the weather is nice, so it is like being on a covered patio.

FOOD AND DRINKS

            The Hub features the Harmon microbrews on tap as well as other domestics and spirits.  They have 5 different types of their own microbrew, and they are sure to please any palate.  They have one of the best happy hours in town with low prices, and generous portions of food. My favorite was the Inversion IPA and cheese pizza. Their happy hours are from 3-6pm and 9-close and ALL DAY Sunday.

FINAL THOUGHTS
            The Hub is great place which can facilitate many occasions. It’s a great place to catch up with friends, grab a good bite to eat, or watch a game with friends and share some suds.  They create a relaxed, friendly environment typical of the Northwest microbrew culture. Without a doubt the Hub is a great place to unwind, and for now is one of my favorite spots.
           
Check them out at the link below!

http://hub.harmonbrewingco.com/

~Scott

The thirstiest of Thursdays at the heavenly Haven.

I could not have chosen a better day or bar to blog about for the first time. Located on the corner of Pacific Ave and 125th (Parkland,WA) The Haven is just a hop skip and a jump away from PLU!

Thursdays at the haven = dollar domestic beers and that is just one of the many great marketing strategies the haven uses to attract its target markets (the locals and the college students of PLU).

DAILY SPECIALS:

So if you've never been to the haven before you are probably wondering what other great deals you can get the rest of the days of the week:

·         Monday- Steak Night & $2.00 Domestic Beer 5-8pm

·         Tuesday- Taco Tuesday & FREE bingo @ 6pm

·         Wednesday- Spaghetti ALL day, $2 off large pizza, and free spin the wheel for the drink special of the hour

·         Thursday- $3.50 Kabobs, $1 Domestic Beers 3-7pm, $3.75 fireball shots, & Karaoke @ 9pm

·         Friday- Fettuccine Dinner, $5 cherry and Jager Bombs, & Karaoke @9pm

·         Saturday-Seafood Platter, Biscuits and Gravy All Day, $5 cherry and Jager Bombs, & Karaoke @9pm

·         Sunday- Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner, Biscuits and gravy all day, 12-4pm FREE pool, and $7.00 Coors light pitchers

Food & Drinks

I’ll be honest, the first time I went to the haven and saw people ordering food I was skeptical. But all you have to do is order one of the many delicious foods off of their decently priced menu and you too will be converted to a believer- The food is awesome at the Haven! The pizza, burgers & fries, quesadillas, chicken wings, spaghetti, fettuccine, and sandwiches are all delicious and are perfectly complimented by the equally reasonably priced drinks.

Your best bet is to try and utilize the daily special for the drinks. But if you have an urge for something other then what the special provides you will be happy to know that they are not watered down so you get what you pay for! The drinks are well made & mixed and the beers are perfectly chilled.  If you’re feeling fancy there is wine and Champaign available, but just like the Haven, you’re not going to get the fancy classy stuff.

GAMES AND ENTERTAINMENT

Not unlike other bars, the Haven has the usual pool tables...nothing special there right?  But right next to the pool tables on the wall is something you probably won’t find at many other bars. In fact this punching bag machine is more likely to be at a carnival or an arcade. Either way it is a huge hit! Throughout the night you can see people gathered around with their friends punching as hard as they can to get the ever so coveted HIGH SCORE! Some other fun things available are darts as well as a trying your luck with different lottery games.

But if playing your games isn’t your cup of tea, or should I say pitcher of beer, you can watch different sports games that are constantly playing on 7 different TV screens throughout the bar.

SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

The Haven is a great place to go with a group of friends. It’s not a fancy bar so you will find that most people are dressed fairly casual. Most of the “usuals” are posted up at the bar seats Bull $h**ing with each other or talking with the bartender. The rest of the bar is full of a mixture of people, but you can usually find two or three groups of PLU students laughing and taking shots or ordering pitchers. The waitresses are pretty friendly; in fact, most of them either go to PLU or recently graduated so you always feel welcome and greeted by friendly faces.

Even with all the conversations and laughs you can still hear music playing in the background, and there is no genre that is left out. But at the small chance that you are not enjoying what is playing at the time, you are more than welcome to request songs or go up and sing them yourself.

LAST CALL….

With all the fun and excitement it is easy to lose track of time as well as your $$$$. If you are a price conscience person I would suggest going in with strictly cash so you know when to cut yourself off. But if you are looking to have a good time go ahead and open a tab and see where the night takes you!

The Haven does a great job attracting its target market. By combining daily deals and weekly specials as well as fun games and entertaining music and television sets The Haven covers up the fact that it is a modest bar. The Haven provides an atmosphere and products that its competitors do not, which is a marketing strategy of differentiation.

-Vic

Beer We Go!

How did you first hear about your favorite bar?? Was it your friend or co-worker? Maybe it was the closest place to grab a drink from school or after work. Our group is getting numerous requests for the local bar called THE HAVEN, a local, smaller bar near PLU on 125th street. We will be recommending, as well as critiquing numerous bars throughout the next couple week. Don't get us wrong, we are no Simon Cowell, but we will do the best we can to give you informative and relative feedback!! Each person will be blogging about a different aspect of the restaurant/bar/grill. This could include:

• Favorite drinks
• Daily Specials- Times and events
• Prices
• Food
• Social Environment
• "The Usuals"
• Games/Entertainment
• Etc.

What bar have you always wanted to check out or think we would enjoy? Let us college kids do what we do best!!

-Bret

Welcome to our Blog!!

Welcome to a blog started by an E-Marketing class at Pacific Lutheran University! The three people that will give their opinions, advice, and pure wisdom are Bret Handy, Scott Wall, and Victor Bull. We are all athletes at PLU, and are HOPING to graduating in May of this year! We are opening this blog to everyone, spreading the word through Facebook and college students in particular. As a class driven blog, our group has decided to review, rate and show marketing aspects of local bars in the Tacoma area! We would love feedback and ideas of different bars you are interested in, maybe one that you were thinking about checking out but did not want to waste your time or take the risk because it may be a bust. Let us visit and give our expert opinions on the quality and features, daily specials, and flaws of the particular bar. We will post pictures and possible videos so you can truely have a sense of the experience you could have if you wanted to go to any of the bars we blog about. We would love recommendations to get this site started!

~Bret