A Look Inside Eastlake Tavern and Bowl

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In this exclusive interview, Eastlaketimes discusses the story behind Eastlake Tavern And Bowl with co-owner Dan Hurd.

ET: Tell us a little about the original East Village Tavern and Bowl in downtown San Diego and how the original idea was created.

-[East Village Town and Bowl] is a very popular, locals, Chicago style sports Tavern.  We have a great number of regulars from the neighborhood.  We see the same faces two and three times a week.

I worked as a bartender many years ago in Chicago at a very similar concept that was a mix between a pool hall and a bowling alley.  When I moved to San Diego in 2001 I was surprised that the city only had the older, dilapidated bowling centers that seem to be a relic of the past.  My business partner Rich Synnott and I both felt that San Diego was in need of a more modern version of an old favorite.

ET:  What would you contribute are the main reasons for your success for your downtown establishment?

-The concept and feel of our downtown location gives people a relaxed atmosphere to socialize with friends.  Not everyone wants a high-end lounge or club every night downtown and we provide an alternative.  We invite people to come-as-they-are; we never have a dress code and we never charge a cover.  A large part of our success during the present economic times has been our price points on both menu items and drinks at the bar.  We have always been a cheaper alternative for good drinks and great food.  We find that people are still going out to have a good time; they are just being more critical of where they choose to spend their money.

ET: What inspired you to move your hip and successful East Village Tavern and Bowl to a suburb like Eastlake?

-We have been watching the Eastlake area for over two years and we finally feel like its a great time to expand South.  Eastlake has certainly been affected by the drop in the housing market but we think that the worst is behind us.  The houses that sat vacant have now started to move as pricing has come down to a level that more people can afford.

ET:  As far as selecting your site, was Eastlake on your short list all along or did something trigger it as you were launching your downtown venue?

-As I mentioned we have always been watching Eastlake for the right opportunity.  Meeting Mike Vogt and the people at IRE Development was the catalyst for moving when we did. We have started a fantastic partnership with IRE Development and we hope to build on that relationship with not only the success of the Eastlake Tavern & Bowl but also with other future locations.

ET: As you probably already know, there are not many entertainment establishments within Eastlake, what can some of our readers expect in the Eastlake Tavern and Bowl.

-People can expect a very relaxed, friendly atmosphere to enjoy their favorite sporting event or socialize over a game of bowling.  We expect to be the premier sports bar in the Eastlake and Chula Vista areas.  We have always been a great sports bar that offers bowling as an additional form of entertainment.  The best aspect of our concept is that it appeals to every age and every community.  We are an ideal location for private parties and company events.  I feel that company planners are frustrated with the limited options for planned social events.  Bowling provides great team building opportunities and even better friendly competition within company employees.

ET: Will the Tavern and Bowl be kid friendly?

-Yes, Eastlake Tavern & Bowl will be very kid friendly.  Even though we have had great success in our downtown location where there are very few families we feel that the Eastlake community and the surrounding residential demographics are more suitable for our concept.  Bowling now has automatic scoring, hydraulic powered bumpers and toddler ball ramps that make it all much more enjoyable for children.  Now kids are actually knocking down pins and getting excited.  Eastlake Tavern & Bowl even has a small game room for the kids to enjoy while the adults enjoy the big game.

ET: How would you describe your menu. What is your favorite item?

-We describe our menu as upscale sports bar food with diverse favorites.  We serve basic Tavern staples like pizza, burgers and chicken nachos but also offer grilled portobello panninis and a mahi tuna sandwich with crispy onions and wasabi mayo.  My favorite……for this week………..is the Southwest salad with BBQ chicken

ET: What type of price points can our readers expect from your menu?

-We are about $5.00 – $9.00 on almost everything on our menu.

ET: With the potential of losing local TV coverage with the Chargers, will you be able to show blacked-out games via Direct TV or satellite?

- We will most-likely not be able to show a Chargers game during blacked-out coverage.  Direct TV is very strict about what games they allow for certain regions and they adhere to all broadcasting contracts.  We actually carry a Cox Cable package just to show the Padres for every game.

ET: You may not know, but legendary MMA champ and UFC Hall of Famer, Ken Shamrock is a long-time resident of Eastlake, do you plan on showing any MMA fights at the tavern?

Now that UFC Fighting has gone main stream we show all the fights.  We have more guests interested in the big UFC nights than we do for boxing.  To date the crowds have been great and we are actually drawing more women on Fight night than men.

ET: What does it cost to bowl?

Monday – Thursday 11:30-4:00 is $2 per game $25 per hour (6 or less people) 4:00-Close $4.75 per game $35 per hour
Friday – Saturday  11:30-4:00 is $3 per game $35 per hour (6 or less people) 4:00-7:00 $5.75 per game 7:00-Close $45 hourly only
Sunday 11:30-4:00 is $3 per game $35 per hour (6 or less people) 4:00-Close $4.75 per game $35 per hour

We will have rate cards available at the bowling counter for guests to take with them so they can plan the most suitable times to bowl.

ET: When is your grand opening?

- We have a Grand Opening party coming up on Wednesday, September 16th that is by invitation only.  Then starting Thursday the 17th we will be open to the public and business as usual.  We are implementing mock service and kitchen training for the next four nights to test our staff.  The bowling will be free up until the opening party so we can get people excited about the lanes.

ET:  Ok, final question, I've always wondered, why are bowling shoes in typical bowling places so uncomfortable and look so ugly?  Are your shoes any different?

-I actually think our shoes are pretty comfortable.  Its not easy to find durable, leather shoes that are also comfortable to each individual.  The shoes are intentionally made to look ugly so people are not tempted to steal them!  Unfortunately we still lose a few shoes each month to the general public.

Thanks for your time, Dan.

#ET

881 Showroom Place
Chula Vista, CA 91914
Phone:  619.565.BOWL (2695)
http://www.bowlelt.com/