Next Door Bar -- Sometimes you want to go ... > Cooking > Blogs > Castle Rock

Blog

YourHub.com \\ Castle Rock \\ YourHub.com's Blogs

Blog Entry 38 of 38 Southbound

Hi, I'm Joey Kirchmer, author of this blog and a community journalist at YourHub.com. I make it out to Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Parker and other Douglas County communities from time to time, so if you see me, don't be shy. You might find me eating a hamburger as I search for the best burger in Douglas County. I'm also an avid writer, so if you have news tips, feel feel to e-mail them to me at kirchmerj@yourhub.com. You can also call me at 303-954-2650. Otherwise, sit back, relax and enjoy these blog entries.

Blog Url: http://denver.yourhub.com/~DealinInDouglas

Next Door Bar -- Sometimes you want to go ...

e-mail to a friend | print this | link to this

NEXT › ‹ PREVIOUS

Contributed by: Joey Kirchmer/YourHub.com on 4/2/2008

Of course, the cliche is irrestible, so I'll get it out of the way as quickly as possible. The Next Door Bar, located in the heart of downtown Castle Rock, is the local place where everyone knows your name and they're always glad you came.

As an aside, that song is the only thing I like about Cheers. That show is soooo bad. I shiver when it comes on TV.

But I digress.

The Next Door Bar is a place where old duffers can sit around and talk about the NCAA basketball tournament, a place where Have a Cigar by Pink Floyd has probably been played well over a thousand times, a place where a bull's head found its final resting place above a bar.

It's also a place in Douglas County where they sell cheeseburgers, and of course, that's where I come into the mix.

I shuffled into the Next Door Bar on a chilly Tuesday afternoon only to find one other person bellied up to the bar, talking lazily with the bartender, who was sporting a moustache that would shame Rollie Fingers. The floors here are wooden, dusty and rustic and look as if they haven't been replaced in years.

It's all for the better. It looks good, like a worn pair of cowboy boots.

The barkeep was friendly and courteous and made sure I had everything I needed for my meal, which was ultimately good enough to make me want to come back some day. My cheeseburger and fries were greasy (in a good way) and served in a basket atop classic red and white checkered paper.

I could very easily see myself wasting away aday here sipping on cold suds and watching sports until the sun went down.

Not that's it's pretentious in any way shape or form, but this is a place where people know one another and casually slip into conversations that are preceded by past conversations. I would need to gain a little "street cred" to hang here.

Not a bad thing though-- the best places are those where you know others and they know you (see: my former local watering hole, The Recovery Room at 8th and Colorado in Denver).

Sitting there in my booth, looking out at the county's administration building got me to thinking about the way Castle Rock has developed since it really started to boom in the 90s.

You have the north end of town with all the chains -- McDonald's, Applebees, Red Robin, etc. And then you have the south end of town with all the independents along Wilcox Street -- The Next Door Bar, B & B's Cafe, The Old Stone Church restaurant.

I could go the easy way here and expound on the virtues of eating and shopping locally, but I don't necessarily agree with all that. Locally owned businesses may offer a superior product, but chains offer a consistent product.

How you choose depends on your outlook on life. Do I want to take a chance and maybe get a great meal at B & B's or do I want to cozy up to what I know will be an average (maybe above average) meal at one of the chains on Allen Street?

It's up to you.

Honestly, a recent ban on all things fast food has more or less forced me into frequenting the locals. I'm haven't eaten a fast food meal since August, when, as you might have guessed it, I finished up the book Fast Food Nation.

I have my own personal reasons for my fast food moratorium and I'll keep them to myself. Not that you wanted to hear them anyway.

Taking a break from the fast food industry has given me a chance to visit more of the Next Door Bars of the world -- which is probably for the better. Variety, after all, is the spice of life.

The final tab comes out to $8.88 here -- cheeseburger, fries and diet Coke. Not bad, considering you would spend only slightly less on a value meal at McDonald's.

I guess you could say, I'm lovin' it.

Grade: B+

The Next Door Bar is located at 217 4th St. in Castle Rock. Call 303-688-1860 for more information.

< Previous: 'Meet my new puggle, Jo...' | Next

[Report this as objectionable content.]

SUBMIT COMMENT

Rate the above blog

Current Rating

Based on 2 user ratings.

Talk Back : submit comments to the blog

*Note: you need to log-in to add a comment or rating.

Thank you! Your comment has been updated.

Showing 1 of 1 comments

Submitted By: Nathan Gross

posted on 4/2/2008 @ 4:14:35 PM

Rated Blog Entry

Water is the spice of life, everyone knows that. And if you watch Dune, you'll now that there is a very different spice to life there as well. All things considered, this blog is the spice of my life.

[Report as objectionable]

Showing 1 of 1 comments

SAVE AND SHARE THIS BLOG ENTRY

digg	Google
del.icio.us	Yahoo!
reddit	Newsvine

What is this?

CONTENT RSS FEEDS

All blog entries

All blog entries in Castle Rock

All blog entries by Joseph Kirchmer

BLOG LIST

WANT TO WRITE FOR YOURHUB.COM?

Want to see the stories you write and the photos you shoot featured in the YourHub.com Thursday print section available all over the Front Range and with home subscriptions of the Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post? All you have to do is register, then post a story or column, start a blog or tell everyonewhat events are happening in town. We will print the best stories, columns, event listings, photos and blog entries in our print sections.

Loading Ad