Bar owner Pat Ensign wants customers to have fun on New Year’s Eve without having to spend a ton of money on dinner or a cover charge.
So he’s offering an inexpensive but good time on the final night of 2009 at his establishment, Pat’s Bar and Grill, 114 Railroad Ave. N., in downtown Kent.
“If you don’t want the expense of a big, fancy party but want to enjoy a little music, a couple of drinks, good food and just have a good time,” Ensign said. “You can dance or just listen to the music. It’s more of a laid-back way to bring in the New Year.”
A deejay from Mackie Systems Entertainment will play music from 8 p.m. until after midnight New Year’s Eve. There is no cover charge.
“They’ll play everything but hip hop and rap,” Ensign said.
Ensign will offer the regular menu as well as champagne, party favors and drink specials.
The “laid-back” approach to New Year’s Eve fits the type of atmosphere Ensign has tried to establish since he opened the bar 2 1/2 years ago. He worked 32 years in the commercial insurance business before opening the bar.
“I want a place where people can meet, enjoy themselves, be comfortable and enjoy live entertainment,” said Ensign, of Covington. “People have told me that they like the place because they feel comfortable. That’s the best compliment I could get.”
The bar features bands on Friday and Saturday nights.
One of the recent bands was the Fabulous Johnsons, a Seattle classic rock group that plays songs by Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top and Aerosmith.
“It’s a place to have fun and not have to worry about fights or anything,” Ensign said. “Our motto is to have as much fun as you can handle.”
Ensign picked the downtown Kent location nearly three years ago because of the then-proposed ShoWare Center, which opened in January 2009, as well as a proposed condominium, hotel and parking garage at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Smith Street. That development fell through and a half-built parking garage sits empty on the corner.
“We would’ve had people from the condos and hotel but it didn’t materialize,” Ensign said.
The ShoWare Center has provided a few customers. But Ensign said he continues to work to attract more people to his business rather than all of them going to the Kent Station restaurants before or after an event at the arena.
Two Seattle Mist players from the women’s Lingerie Football League made an appearance Friday night at the bar. The Mist plays the Dallas Desire at 9 p.m. Jan. 1 at the ShoWare Center.
“I’ll keep plugging away so people recognize this as an alternative for a good time,” Ensign said.
If you go
• What: New Year’s Eve party
• When: 8 p.m. Dec. 31
• Where: Pat’s Bar and Grill, 114 Railroad Ave. N.
• Cost: No cover charge
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