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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 2004)
| Last call | Indigo District brimming with originality A cozy cafe by day and a swanky, all-inclusive bar by night, the Indigo District caters to a 'full lifestyle' BY RYAN MURPHEY PULSE REPORTER I take my place at the bar with a Gap-clad frat boy to my right and a Pabst-drinking fashionista in women’s jeans to my left — when describing Indigo District, I can’t make up a better anecdote than this. An important feature in any nightspot is personality, and Indigo District has a lot of it, at least on the inside. Located in the building that once housed Field’s Brewery, Indigo District resides inconspicuously on the corner of 13th Avenue and Oak Street. There is no sign, no outside decor, and if you were just driving by, you might think it was vacant. How ever, as soon as you walk through the massive front doors, it is a different story altogether. To your immediate left is the monstrous and extremely cheesy waterfall known colloquially by frequent patrons as “Awesome Mountain.” Across the walkway from this monolith of kitsch is a palm tree that reaches to the ceiling. The decor is centered around east ern art, tapestries and statues, all of it broken up by the kind of furniture you dream of finding at St. Vincent DePaul. The oblong bar itself has a classic feel to it, with lots of wood and brass, and at the rear of the establishment are two pool tables. The staff does not have uniforms, but are instead allowed to express their personal style at work. One bar tender can often be seen slinging drinks wearing a homemade T-shirt that reads, “1 make you drunk.” The two most striking elements of Indigo District, however, are also the most subtle: the tasteful lighting and incredible use of space. All the elements come together to create something a bit too unique to simply call eclectic. It’s more like a perfectly orchestrated identity crisis, and it really works. Offering a range of features that includes a full bar, wireless Internet, an organic coffee bar and a restaurant that serves a full menu of quality food on weekends, Indigo District de fies categorization. It’s more like the old L&L Market than a bar. “I wanted to create a place that accommodates a full lifestyle, not just a place to party,” 24-year-old owner Justin Gibbs said. “A place to study during the day and to have fun at night. During the day, In digo District assumes the persona of a quiet cafe where a student can read, have a cup of coffee or order a reasonably priced lunch of considerable quality. During the night, it becomes a lively night club, highly prone to impromptu dance parties. Unlike many other bars in town, Indigo Dis trict avoids weekly events in favor of a more sporadic events calendar. “We were originally thinking about weekly and nightly events,” assistant manager Geoff Bradbury said. “But the way it works now keeps things from getting redundant.” One night you may find yourself sitting around at the bar with friends, listening to Indigo District’s signature playlist of indie rock, dance music and electronica; the next you could find yourself at “A Night On Awe some Mountain,” the prom-themed party held at the end of spring term this year. In the past year, Indigo Dis trict has played host to performances by The Lashes, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Soldiers, United State of Electronica, Federico Aubele and many more. It was also hosted charity events like “Rock for S.A.S.S. (Sexual Assault Support Services) ” and “Fun Boys for Toys,” a bachelor auction benefiting Toys for Tots. On September 25, it cel ebrated its one year anniversary with a dance party that filled nearly every square foot of the bar with writhing bodies and pounding bass. “I think it’s a great bar. It’s the only reason I go out,” business major Greg Bresnitz said. Bresnitz helped organize the “Fun Boys for Toys” auc tion last year. Indigo District is perhaps best INDIGO DISTRICT Where: East 13th Avenue and Oak Street Serving: Lunch and dinner Food selection: French fries, chicken strips, salmon and more known for its musical selection. While most bars in town pump out the college jams such as Dave Matthews, The Grate ful Dead and Jack Johnson, Indigo Dis trict adds a little flair to the night with indie rock such as Modest Mouse, Eagles of Death Metal and Franz Ferdinand; kitshy electron ica such as Ladytron or the Faint; and punk rock such as Misfits and The Briefs. Indigo District also offers a full bar, with what I believe to be the best Manhattan in town. From single-malt scotch to the quintessential Pabst Blue Ribbon, Indigo District is the only bar in Eugene where I have nev er heard the words, “Sorry, we can’t make that.” The bartenders are fast and good at what they do. An uncon firmed rumor states that Indigo Dis trict makes one of the" best bloody marys in town. internet, access I n .<! i'RHMK BOOKSTORE For the week of October 8th! Sign-up for our weekly WebPage Update! 1 www.bijou-cinemas.com " Stunning. A powerhouse film — Peter Travers, Rolling Stone WINNER . . « _ Audience Award MAFflA .ssd.'KEi WLL^wJnner I -irr/ll j- Dramatic Competition 2M4 Sundew* Rton Feetvai :00,7;10& 9:20 Nightly Sal & Sun Mat 2:45 HIJACKING CATASTROPHE 9/11 , Fear & the Selling ot American Empire Special Showings! 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The restaurant serves quality lunch and dinner at reasonable prices, and the menu is as eccentric as the rest of the establishment. The selection includes everything from typical bar fair such as french fries, chicken strips and jalapeno pop pers, to coconut curry chicken and I A grilled salmon in a caper olive gar lic sauce. The best part is that the restaurant serves the full menu until 2 a.m. on weekends; Gibbs would eventually like to extend that to weekdays as well. ryanmurphey® dailyemerald, com October 7-10 Fairgrounds — 13th & Jefferson, Eugene Thursday & Friday 5-9:30pm Saturday 10:30am-9:30pm Sunday 10:30am-5pm FREE Admission! Fleas© bring canned food donations to help fight hunger. Over 200 Home & Garden Exhibits! Aisles of New Ideas & Expert Advice "Artist's Marketplace" - Show & Sale Oils, Watercolors, Clay & Photography - Rm #1 "Plant Sale" - Fall is Perfect For Planting! 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