It’s a classic San Diego State student dilemma: You want to go out for the night, but driving to Pacific Beach is too much of a hassle (not to mention expensive), a house party seems lame, and all the bars in the College Area are tired out. What is a poor drinker to do? Fortunately, there is a new and exciting bar right on El Cajon Boulevard, and it’s worth sniffing out.
Recently, the Beauty Bar added some sparkle and shine to the long and often junky boulevard. Although it has only been open since New Year’s Eve, business has been booming. It could be because the place offers something previously not available to San Diego bargoers.
Visiting the Beauty Bar is like stepping into a cool nightclub version of a beauty salon. Vintage hair dryers and bar stools line the wall and bar. Silhouettes of a ’50s-style woman, and mirrors paired with dim lighting give the place a glamorous and chic feel. It definitely has the setting of where all the cool kids hang out.
The bar is one of six other establishments – the first of which opened in New York City back in 1995. Since the first one opened, Beauty Bars have popped up in major cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and, most recently, Austin, Texas. Out of this list, three of the bars opened within the last year-and-a-half because they’ve all been so successful.
Manager Erica Jessup said the decor is still being worked out, and all employees are involved with the process.
“Everyone here loves their job and are extremely willing to be here and make it the best experience possible,” she said. “There is an extremely different aura between a pub, bar and a nightclub, but we are all of those things.”
The atmosphere isn’t the only thing going for the bar. Manicures are offered nightly with the purchase of a cocktail. They even have specialty drinks such as the “Prell” and the “Platinum Blonde.”
The days of sitting at home and painting your nails before a big night out are gone. You can head down to the Beauty Bar and get pampered while sipping a cocktail. You might want to call ahead, though, as Jessup said the manicures “get out of control with groups of 20 or more calling in for reservations.”
Live music nearly every night of the week is also a big draw for the venue. Jessup said she tries to have a wide variety of bands and DJs from San Diego, as well as musicians from other areas. Though the Beauty Bar has an intimate setting, there’s plenty of room for people to dance and get downright crazy.
As far as geographical location is concerned, people might think El Cajon Boulevard is a strange spot for a bar. The management, however, is happy with the site, and patrons seem to be as well. On a recent Monday night, there were around 140 people in attendance.
“All of the Beauty Bars are in places like this,” Jessup said. “In our Hollywood venue, they used to have murders in the alley, pimps and hoes, and now the area has cleaned up.”
She also said the locale was good because there is always parking, access to freeways, and 7-Eleven and Jack-in-the-Box are across the street if anyone is in need of reinforcements.
Jessup said there’s a lot to look forward to in the summer, though she would only reveal one of the improvements the bar has in store: The canopy covering the stage area will be removed when warmer weather arrives. This is not only appealing to smokers but also those who want to hear some good music, sip cocktails and gaze up at the starry night sky.
-The Beauty Bar is located at 4746 El Cajon Blvd. For more information, call (619) 521-4747 or visit www.beautybar.com.
