A fair amount of my time in college on Thursday nights was spent at Suds Tavern. Located on Broadway Avenue just down the street from Bronco Stadium, Suds was the ideal locale to go out, have a good time, and safely walk back to your house/apartment if you were lucky enough to live on or near the campus.
Thursday nights at Suds was the place to be for a young college student. I can't vouch for that now, for I haven't been there on a Thursday in years, and have only visited the place sporadically since my return to Boise. The tiny bar (now expanded slightly) was packed elbow to elbow with guys and girls alike. One would have to arrive before 9 to get a good seat, but that hardly ever mattered, as the bartenders seemed to always be on the top of their games and get your drinks quickly. Some might even call them "Johnny on the spot" with your beer or shots. On top of that, a wide array of music was played to appease all members of the crowd. People would join in group sing-a-longs all while trying to find the bottom of the cup or there next lay.
Now why, you may be asking, was this place so popular? Well, refined reader, I will tell you. On Thursday nights, it was ten dollar all you can drink (beer) night. You simply pay your ten dollars, get an elegant plastic cup with your name on it, and party like rock stars. Ten dollars was the going price for men, while the ladies drank for five. As luck would have it, a good friend of mine had a brother that was a bartender there, so we drank under what was called the TMA discount. We were both theatre majors and TMA stands for Theatre Majors Association, hence the TMA discount. My good friend spent a lot of time there, and was actually good friends with another bartender, so nary a night went by where we paid anymore than five dollars for our drinks. Life was good.
Suds, with it's five dollar all you can drink beer for the ladies, still often failed to bring out too many women to this bar. There were a few regulars who you'd see every Thursday, and every so often the ratio would be about even. It was one of these nights another friend of mine, a shorter man who most women would simply describe as "good looking" and with "Tom Cruise hair (the longer hair), decided to teach all of us friends at the bar how to pick up women. He explained that first, you needed to pick out the lady you had eyes on. Then, simply stare at her until she made eye contact. After a moment was shared, my friend said all that was needed to point at your eyes with your pinkie and index finger, and then do the same towards her. Needless to say, I don't think any of us followed his advice, but I do believe the technique worked for him one time.
Alas, time goes on, bartenders quit, and people move away. The time spent at Suds slowly ceased to happen. As stated earlier, the place did get a little bit bigger to help with the crowds. The only other time I've really seen Suds crowded is on Bronco Football game days. I'm not even sure if the Thursday night special is still around, though the last time I was in there about a month ago the place had drink specials every night on the week. Plus, where else can you go to stand on the old Blue Turf from Bronco Stadium? I imagine the place still has its crowded moments, but I haven't mustered up the energy of my 22-year-old self to go there and see. Not yet, anyhow.
On a side note, if you need a place slightly less crowded and considerably smaller, try the End Zone. The place is basically right next door to Suds and you can experience two bars in one night. The same sports fans/college students hang out at this bar as well, and you can get giant beers. Just order a Pounder of Pabst and watch your night unfold.
The Suds days may have ended, but the memories will always be there. And if you happen to be walking home from a long night at Suds, make sure to stop by Winco. It's always a fun time when your friend hops in a motorized cart and you get to lead him around the store asking the employees where we can find a box of frozen corn dogs. Nothing but the best...
"We are always getting ready to live but never living."- Emerson
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