Bars

Tequila Museo Mayahuel set for March opening

2011-02-03T02:00:58Z

The electric whines of drills and saws coming from the corner of 12th and K streets Wednesday indicated the opening of Tequila Museo Mayahuel is still a short way off.

The sounds escaped from open doors papered in bright green with the words "Coming Soon to K Street." The restaurant and tequila bar had been expected to open by the end of 2010, and then by Feb. 1.

However, the need for electrical changes and other construction delays, as well as permitting issues, have postponed the opening to March, owner Ernesto Delgado said.

He hopes to imbue the 5,300-square-foot restaurant, bar and gift shop with a museum-like quality that highlights Mexico's culture through tequila. Born in the Mexican state of Michoacán, Delgado is using an idea inspired by the wineries around his childhood home in Napa Valley to create a unique restaurant.

"The way they showcase the wine culture is the same way I'm trying to showcase the tequila culture," the Sacramento resident said.

The restaurant is named for the Aztec goddess of the agave plant and fertility, Mayahuel. Agave is used to make tequila. A statue of a jimador – or agave plant farmer – will sit outside the entrance.

Inside, tequila bottles, art and information will be exhibited everywhere, from T-shirts and menus to the restaurant itself.

"On the ceilings, on the floors, on the walls, on the menus, on the staff," Delgado said. "When you walk in, it will feel like a museum."

He's hired most of the 40 to 50 people who will staff the establishment. Delgado will create educational programs to teach the staff about tequila and its history. To ensure they can talk knowledgeably with customers, everyone who works there will have to write essays about tequila and its culture before they can start work, he added.

Tequila Museo Mayahuel is being built at 1200 K St., on the ground floor of a parking garage leased by the Hyatt Regency Sacramento. Delgado has converted three spaces that previously held an eye wear store, Chinese restaurant and a vacant storefront into one big space.

Interior construction is complete. The urban contemporary look is set off with bold colors of terracotta, green and black.

A large U-shaped bar wraps into the main dining room and the Coa Room, named for the shovel used to harvest agave. The room has a separate entrance and can be reserved for private parties. In back, a chef's bar will seat about 12 and serve as an exhibition kitchen. The menu will offer traditional Mexican dishes featuring fresh ingredients.

On Wednesday, tradespeople were busy finishing trim work – installing solid walnut doors, light fixtures, signs and more. Cabinetry is being hand-made on-site. Three people were restaining chairs while another man built wooden tequila lockers. Customers can use those to store expensive or rare bottles of tequila for a small fee.

Two large, garage-door-like windows will open onto a large patio. Delgado is in the process of getting permits for the 20-foot by 40-foot sidewalk cafe and adjacent lounge, which may feature an outdoor bar and fireplace, and for a small gift shop that will sell tequila.

The establishment's liquor license is expected to be finalized in late February. A new exterior façade, patio and gift shop are expected to open in a second phase after plans are approved, he said.

The management team includes Delgado, chef Ramiro Alarcon, Manager Javier Valdez and Kitchen Manager Mario Favila. The contractor, Charles Espinoza, has overseen construction.

The hours will be 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. - 3 a.m. Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. - 3 a.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. for Sunday brunch.

Tequila Museo Mayahuel will emphasize "sipping and enjoying" tequilas and artisan cocktails.

Delgado said he initially wanted to serve 50 to 100 tequilas. But he's decided to offer fewer tequilas – both on a drink menu and at the gift shop – to help build an understanding and appreciation on a quintessentially Mexican product.

"I'd really like to focus on tequila families that have created the history and culture of tequila," he said.

Eclectic mix planned for Splash Bar

2010-11-12T02:21:35Z

A new downtown bar with two very different vibes is expected to open early next month.

Splash Bar will be part beach party, part Vegas nightclub when the doors open as soon as the first week of December. Once a week, the bar will even offer live country music and line dancing.

Ai "Al" Pham, who co-owns Azukar, and partners are opening the new bar to replace Avalon at the corner of 15th and H streets. Originally a veterans hall, the address has become a troubled spot that spelled the end for two nightclubs.

The main room – a 5,000-square-foot dance hall – will be a slick and sophisticated white room featuring live music twice a week. A smaller side room and patio will use tiki huts and surfboards to create the beach theme.

"We want to create two different worlds in one building," Pham said. "There's nothing like it down here."

Violence and other problems plagued the two previous bars at 805 15th St.: Avalon and Elements. Two people in a long-running feud were shot and killed outside Elements in 2004. The club stopped offering hip hop nights after the shootings, and its permit was later revoked.

Pham and his partners agreed to buy the business from Avalon's newest owners, who approached them last summer. The club's owners had problems with the crowds being attracted there and other issues they couldn't fix, Pham said.

Avalon closed in late August. Its owners declined comment. In September, Pham and his partners met with officials from the city and police department to lay out a plan to change the club's ownership and theme.

"We stepped in and negotiated with the city," he said, adding that the establishment still needs final approval from the city.

One change is that Splash Bar will offer a small menu of pizza slices, tacos, chicken wings, soups and salads. The bar will now be open daily, starting at 5 p.m. Live entertainment will be offered Wednesdays through Saturdays, starting at 10 p.m. The bar will close at 1:30 a.m.

Splash Bar will be open for those 21 and older, Pham said.

The structure was built in 1948 as a veterans hall and has had a liquor license ever since. For the first time, a sidewalk cafe will operate out front. At least seven tables will be set up behind railings. The entrance will be marked by a pair of 10-foot longboards and palm trees.

Some big changes are happening inside.

The owners went for a clean, elegant look in the main room. They installed a white granite bar and all-new upholstery, including padded white walls and white booths with glowing white tables. The original hardwood floor is being resurfaced and painted black.

"When you walk in, everything is pure white. Even the ceiling is white," Pham said. "The main room will be very sophisticated – more of a high-end, Vegas-style nightclub."

For a more casual, relaxed atmosphere, the owners are turning a 3,000-square-foot side room into the Pacifico Bar. That room will have a long tiki hut bar, surfboard cocktail tables and a beer-and-beach mural filling two walls. Pacifico beer is "huge" in Mexico's surfing community, and the beer company is sponsoring the room, he said.

Corona Cove, the new name for the back patio, features a small tiki hut bar, tiki hut booths, torches, two fireplaces, palms and other exotic plants.

Splash Bar will offer country music and DJs on Wednesdays. Bands will play on Thursday nights. With two rooms, the bar will always have two DJs on Fridays and Saturdays, when house and other dance music will be played.

Other nightclubs have closed in Sacramento recently, including Zokku, Empire and its successor, Venue.

Pham and his other partners have tried three restaurant concepts in Azukar. They spent a lot of money to create a high-end Mexican restaurant, but then turned it into a taqueria when the crowds didn’t materialize. When that didn't work, either, they began offering all-you-can eat, made-to-order sushi – $12 for lunch and $19 for dinner.

He said he's hopeful they've found the right combination for Splash Bar by going "totally out of the box” with an eclectic mix.

"People have a lot of doubt about that location itself, because of how it's always been," he said. "When people's expectations are low, they can only go up."

Photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Hip hop music not the problem, panelists say

2010-11-10T02:25:15Z

The key to successful and safe hip hop events in Sacramento is to focus on the music, an expert panel said Tuesday.

Sacramento needs club owners and promoters to give hip hop artists doing good music a chance – working together rationally to overcome stereotypes or solve problems. What the city doesn't need is people who bring turf wars or personal drama into clubs, said hip hop artists, promoters and a historian gathered at the Crest Theatre.

One panelist, rapper B-Smoove, acknowledged that problems can arise if gang enemies who normally don't cross paths suddenly wind up at the same club. He’s established a reputation for hosting problem-free hip hop nights by reminding his audiences that everyone was there for the music, not drugs or violence.

"When it's all about the music, all the B.S. goes by the wayside," said hip hop DJ and promoter Mic Jordan at an event organized by the Midtown Business Association, Downtown Sacramento Partnership and Old Sacramento Business Association.

The panel was part of a series of workshops on nightclub safety and state laws and city regulations for bars and nightclubs. On Nov. 16, the business organizations are hosting the third Pubs, Clubs and Bars Security Training workshop on bar security and operations from 2 - 5 p.m. at the California Military Museum, 1119 Second St.

The free workshops are open to businesses, DJs and club promoters in Old Sacramento, downtown and Midtown.

Hip hop started largely because New York gang lords wanted to create places for their kids to have positive experiences. There may have been war in the streets, but that wasn't allowed at such events, Jordan said.

"They used their muscle to enforce these hip hop events as safe zones," Jordan said. "As artists, that's part of our responsibility. That's what we can do at the clubs."

Panelists discouraged marketing efforts that exploit violence, such as promotional fliers with gunshot holes used recently here by one promoter. Sacramento's hip hop scene has remained largely unrecognized, and artists aren't given opportunities because of problems with violence that have been blamed on the music, they said.

"Our underground music scene is as good as anybody across the board," said Jordan, adding that the city doesn’t have enough club owners who trust artists or have established clientele.

Hip hop educator Michael Benjamin II recommended clubs play more diverse hip hop and use diverse DJs and musicians. The crowds will come for events featuring hip hop’s golden era in the 1980s and 1990s, he said.

"I've never understood a club owner complaining about violence at their club and they're playing all violent music," he said.

Some but not all panelists say troublemakers might be weeded out with dress codes, which could add a more sophisticated vibe inside clubs and prevent gang colors from being worn. Problems might also be prevented by no longer making people line up outside and wait to be chosen to get in, B-Smoove said.

The practice may work in cities like Los Angeles and New York. But here, customers are likely to become unhappy if someone else is allowed in when they’re not, he said.

“In Sacramento, that tactic don't necessarily work,” B-Smoove said.

Some clubs are only concerned about filling up with customers, so they aren't weeding out bad people, said DJ Katz, an underground electronic DJ who joined about 25 other people in the audience. The crowd included bar owners, DJs, promoters, police and security personnel.

"It's desperation time right now. There's crickets," he said.

But Swiff, a musician who does hip hop, rock and R&B, said rules that force people to wear expensive clothing may start more fights because a guy who gets a drink spilled on his expensive shirt will be more angry than if he was just wearing a T-shirt.

The panelists suggested Sacramento clubs hire more security for events. Bouncers should be trained professionals – polite and well-dressed, yet tough when needed, so they themselves don't initiate violence with disrespectful behavior. They should also work at the same clubs repeatedly so they recognize people who've caused problems in the past, panelists said.

Swiff said he's OK with having police officers sitting outside clubs to keep troublemakers or "outside scum" away. What he doesn't want is people leaving one of his events vowing never to return because they're afraid for their lives.

"That's what’s wrong in Sacramento: We're letting the scum beat us," he said.

Workshops tackle safe bar operations

2010-11-05T00:53:02Z

Nightclub safety will be discussed at upcoming workshops offered by local business organizations.

The Downtown Sacramento Partnership, Midtown Business Association and Old Sacramento Business Association are hosting two sessions this month.They are part of a series aimed at educating bar and restaurant owners and staff about their responsibilities, as well as state laws and city regulations.

The free workshops are open to businesses, DJs and club promoters in Old Sacramento, downtown and Midtown.

Rapper B-Smoove and other experts in Sacramento's hip hop scene recently agreed to lead a panel on managing hip hop nights so that they stay free from the violence that shut down clubs like Elements. Other discussions will tackle many "gray areas" involved with bar operation, entertainment permits and special events, said DSP Director of Community Services Ryan Loofbourrow.

"We plan on doing this on a regular basis, so as trends happen or new regulations take effect, we can include those," he said Thursday. "We want to make sure all of our establishments are up to date on all the procedures."

On Nov. 9, a hip hop panel will talk about how business owners can build successful clubs and reputations by enforcing tight security at the door, banning bad behavior inside clubs and offering "true" hip hop – rather than gangsta rap or other music with violent lyrics, MBA Operations Manager Aja Uranga-Foster said.

B-Smoove will be joined by Michael W. Benjamin II of Low End Theory Collaborative, hip hop club promoter Mike Jordan and Brian "Abs" Washington, a musician, promoter, personal trainer and bouncer. The panel will be held from 1 - 2 p.m. at the Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.

Some bars have stopped offering hip hop events, while others have developed bad reputations and even lost permits or licenses for repeated violence. The panel will discuss how music lyrics and beats can influence mood and behavior inside a club, she said.

Two people were shot and killed outside Elements, 805 15th St., in 2004. Robert Zarco was gunned down in revenge after he shot and killed 26-year-old Elias Sanchez in front of his wife. The club stopped holding hip hop nights after the shooting. Its permit was later revoked. The club was sold and the place reopened as Avalon.

"They're going to talk about how to maintain a high standard and play good hip hop that doesn't just appeal to a 'low-end crowd,' " Foster said. "They themselves (the panelists) don't go out to clubs because they want to hear true hip hop, but they don't like the behavior that is allowed at some clubs."

That panel will be followed by a workshop on responsible beverage service from 2 - 5 p.m. Jerry Jolly, the former director of the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, will explain state regulations involving alcohol sales and promotions, how to turn away intoxicated customers and how to communicate with ABC agents.

Another Pubs, Clubs and Bars Security Training workshop will be held on bar security and operations from 2 - 5 p.m. Nov. 16 at the California Military Museum, 1119 Second St. Sacramento Police Sgt. Monty "Max" Maxwell, with the department's entertainment team, will cover city entertainment permits, requirements for security operations, how to recognize people too intoxicated to buy more liquor, fire safety and other issues, Loofbourrow said.

"Bars are responsible for the behavior of customers," he said. "This will help bar operators and security know what to look for."

Photo by Brandon Darnell.

Managing 'hospitality zones'

2010-10-02T05:08:42Z

Sacramento’s “hospitality zones” became classrooms Thursday night.

Nearly two dozen people visiting Sacramento for the California Downtown Association’s 2010 annual conference took a walking “Nighttime Economy Tour” through parts of Old Sacramento, downtown and Midtown. Most in the group help manage downtown business districts.

Stopping in bars from Vega’s at Old Sacramento’s historic waterfront to de Vere’s Irish Pub near 15th and L streets, people learned best practices, as well as what to avoid, to successfully set up and manage hospitality districts – concentrations of bars, restaurants, café-lounges and other entertainment businesses.

Officials with cities and business improvement districts have many more tools at their disposal than they realize, said Allison Harnden, vice president of Santa Cruz-based Responsible Hospitality Institute. She led discussions on the tour.

One is to make sure visitors have plenty of convenient transportation options, such as “safe ride” programs, taxi stands, pedicabs, late-night public transportation and safe neighborhoods to walk in, so they can leave bars safely and quickly.

“This is your biggest bang for the buck,” said Harnden, whose group was established to help communities plan and manage entertainment zones. “If you can clear the hospitality district at closing time, you won’t have noise, you won’t have fights, you won’t have bottle throwing.”

Melissa Martinez, executive director of the Old Sacramento Business Association, and Aja Uranga-Foster, programs manager with the Midtown Business Association, led a four-hour tour to 11 establishments. Several were located at 20th and K streets.

Public urination after closing is a common problem because many cities don’t have enough public restrooms near these areas.

The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control doesn’t like to give out liquor licenses for businesses close together. But concentrations of bars are easier for police to manage, she said.

The institute encourages cities to establish staggered closing times so police aren’t overwhelmed trying to manage crowds at closing, she said outside de Vere’s, where a crowd of patrons waited to enter at 11 p.m.

Another way to prevent many problems in such districts and to create more financially successful zones is to recruit a mix of businesses meeting needs and schedules of all four adult demographic groups, rather than just single 20-somethings, she said.

That group tends to drink too much because they’re insecure about socializing. Guys that age are most likely to fight. They may not spend much money at businesses, preferring to spend time “displaying and promenading” in groups, she said.

“You really want to start filling in some of these things to attract other people,” Harnden said.

MVP sports bar moves

2010-06-15T03:57:38Z

A longtime restaurateur who once served the likes of Sonny Bono, Meat Loaf and Tim Allen has moved MVP Sports Grill to a new Midtown location.

The sports bar opened last week in the St. Anton Building, 2110 L St. Ron Long, the sports bar's legally blind proprietor, had operated MVP at the corner of 17th Street and Capitol Avenue in the state of California's East End Complex for four years.

The move was not prompted by the impending sale of the complex, one of 11 state-owned office properties up for sale by the state Department of General Services. The state plans to lease the properties back, and MVP would have been able to stay at 1629 Capitol Ave., Long said.

Instead, Long felt the time was right to leave the state building. State furloughs caused a huge loss of revenue as all four state buildings in the complex have been closed so many Fridays.

"The business was doing great (before the furloughs). But with the furloughs — it kills us," he said.

At the same time, competition has been equally hard on his business, Long said. Establishments such as California Pizza Kitchen, Mix Downtown and de Vere's Irish Pub have opened in the renovated Firestone Building at 16th and L streets.

"That makes it tough," he added.

Long's eyesight was impaired when he served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. After discharge, he first went into landscaping, then got into the restaurant business near Bakersfield. In 1995, he started a wilderness and special events catering service for the U.S. Forest Service, rafting companies and the movie industry.

His catering business had him rubbing elbows with forest fire crews, the rock star Meat Loaf and actors Sonny Bono, then mayor of Palm Springs, and Tim Allen, the star of the TV show "Home Improvement." Long met Bono as he catered a bike ride for SCOR Cardiac Cyclists, a Southern California bike club. He served food to Meat Loaf and Allen while they enjoyed rafting trips on the Kern River.

He gave up catering as his eyesight continued to fail. Rather than stay at home watching TV, he moved to Sacramento in 2002, where he enrolled in the state Department of Rehabilitation's Business Enterprise Program for the legally blind. Long can still see some things, but he can't [cannot] read or drive a car. With his restaurant background and the program's training and support, he was able to open MVP.

"This program here gives you an incentive in life," he said. "You know how some people feel they are disabled and they can't do anything? This has taught me I can do anything I want to do."

The program allowed him to pay rent for the sports bar's space based on how much money he took in each month. Program staff regularly checked in with him. State employees provided a built-in base of customers.

Long agreed to relocate a few blocks away to a more busy corner at 21st and L streets after the owner of St. Anton, an affordable housing apartment building, gave him a sweet deal on rent. The new location has two levels, but overall, it's about the same size as the old and still has 20 TVs. The decor is the same, with memorabilia from the River Cats, Sacramento Kings, NASCAR and college sports teams, he said.

The sports bar will be open daily from 10 a.m. to about midnight. A coffee cart will operate from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. His only concern is being able to attract enough customers to a spot where Stonegrill & Bar and later Hashi, both operated by the owners of Nishiki Sushi, did not remain in operation.

"Down here, if we can just get into the mix, it will be a better move for us," Long said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Hiatus for Old Sacramento bars

2010-03-25T21:28:10Z

You may have wanted to get a margarita at Brickside or Novo in Old Sacramento recently and found you couldn't.

Here's what we found: Liquor licenses for both were suspended by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Novo's was suspended March 2 for not serving food, a condition of the license, said Lori Ajax, administrator of the Sacramento ABC office. Novo, 926 2nd St., had been rebranded from Tunel 21, which had been operated by Vlade Divac, his wife Ana and her sister, Jelica Orbovic. Orbovic took over operations when the Divacs left Sacramento.

Novo's license suspension was lifted last week after Orbovic got the restaurant up and running, Ajax said. The establishment is now required to make at least 50 percent of its profits from food.

The license of Brickside, 106 J St., was suspended Jan. 21 after a hold was placed on it by the California State Board of Equalization for failure to pay taxes, Ajax said. Information about any possible taxes owed cannot be released to the public, according to the tax board.

Richard Mendoza of Mendoza Properties owns Brickside. Neither he nor Orbovic could be reached for comment.

Photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter who covers business and development for The Sacramento Press.

Vive Cocina open on K Street

2010-03-25T04:25:28Z

Vive Cocina Mexicana and Ultra Lounge has replaced Three Monkeys on K Street.

Vive Cocina opened last month at 723 K St., next to St. Rose of Lima Park, according to a restaurant manager. The opening had been scheduled for December, then January, said Felipe Olvera, one of the owners.

Juan Ayalagarcia, who operated Playa Azul Night Club on Auburn Blvd., is partnering with Olvera and four or five others in the venture, according to Olvera and records from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

A Franchise Tax Hold was issued against the liquor license March 8. However, Vive Cocina has had an active license since Nov. 23, said Lori Ajax, administrator of the Sacramento ABC office.

Golden Bear renovation soon complete

2010-03-12T05:18:54Z

With its remodel nearly finished, The Golden Bear is expected to host a grand unveiling as early as St. Patrick's Day on Wednesday.

Owners Jon Modrow and Kimio Bazett said they hope to have the work done by Monday. But the bar in the converted house at 2326 K St. must still undergo final inspections from the city and county, so the exact date for a reopening party has not been set.

Crews were busy Thursday completing renovation of the kitchen, bathrooms and an enclosed, covered back patio. Aqua couches, white tables and modern light fixtures with dimmers have been installed in the back room to create a clean, light ambiance, free of artwork. The idea is to showcase people "at their best," Modrow said.

"You're not going to be looking at art. You're going to be looking at people," he said. "It's all intended to be very social."

The room also serves as the smoking area. Vents were built in the back wall near the ceiling, and two powered exhaust fans will recirculate air every four minutes, he added.

The kitchen and bathrooms have doubled in size. The kitchen now has a range stove. Billy Zoellin, who worked previously at The Grange, Biba and Mulvaney's B&L, will create small-plate appetizers, an expanded weekend brunch and lunch Monday through Friday.

"We're becoming more of a gastro-pub," Modrow said.

The beer is also improving. A new draft beer system will pour Guinness with nitrogen and cool beers to about 35 degrees. It's a much higher-end system than what you'd find "in a frat boy's garage," he added.

The bathrooms now feature glass sinks, ceramic tile floors and waterfall faucets, where water pours from a fixture about a foot above the sink.

The front of the bar will be cleaned up, but no changes are expected there. The renovation, which had been slated for completion by the end of January, took longer after the county health department required a change in the water heaters, Modrow said, adding that he and Bazett then added other changes as well.

The staff is expected to grow from 20 to nearly 30. The bar has been open during the remodel. Food will start being served once the reopening party is held.

Photos by Suzanne Hurt.

Golden Bear remodel underway

2009-12-30T02:12:25Z

Kimio Bazett doesn't remember exactly when he and buddy Jon Modrow came up with the idea to open a bar.

It might have been while Modrow was sharing his misery over the lack of human interaction he found in his job as a genetics researcher working on fruit flies.

Or it might have been one of those golden afternoons spent bombing down sugared white slopes at a Tahoe ski resort. Modrow on skis, Bazett carving turns with his snowboard.

Whenever it happened, the result was one of Midtown's most popular and laid-back watering holes -- The Golden Bear.

"We were two people who made a huge effort to make a dream become a reality," Modrow said last week. "The idea came from the kinds of places I liked to hang out in in college: a mellow spot where everybody's invited and welcome."

Five years ago, the two opened their establishment on the first floor of a converted house long used as a neighborhood bar, at 2326 K St. Back then, they relied on free help from friends who pitched in on everything from interior design to legal services.

The bar with the big front porch became popular. The crowd grew from the official capacity of 49 to 150. Clients loved the place. But not everyone liked how popular the bar became.

Authorities cracked down on The Golden Bear for fire code violations and other problems. So now, the bar is halfway through a renovation designed to address the problems and allow for 150-person capacity, as well as make the place more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, said Bazett.

The back half of the bar, which contains the kitchen, bathrooms and an enclosed, covered back patio, is undergoing a complete remodel. The place had two exits -- the front door and a back gate. A fire exit and sprinklers have been added.

The kitchen and bathrooms are doubling in size. Bathrooms will have Italian glass sinks and glass tiles, and offer more room for customers in wheelchairs, Bazett said. A wheelchair-accessible ramp was added in front. A pizza oven that lacked mechanical ventilation was replaced with a pannini flat-press.

"The finish will be night and day," Bazett said.

The remodel is expected to be completed by the end of January. The gray walls and lime-green accents in the front main room will be repainted in earth tones. The bubble lights over the 20-foot white Corian bar will be replaced.

In back, the metal roof will be replaced with a real roof featuring skylights and fire-rated walls, which can help slow a fire from spreading outside the building, will replace the fence enclosure. The roof and walls are designed to be more fire-safe and to muffle sound. Custom benches will be added.

The remodel — and the entire business — are the work of two owners with almost opposite personalities. Modrow, 30, is a six-foot-tall, self-described "Euromutt" with a reddish beard. He makes friends easily and is an extremely organized bookkeeper who fills the office with vast amounts of paper.

"One of our bartenders saw it (the office) and likened it to a nest. He said Jon was building a nest because there was so much paper," Bazett said. "But that's part of being thorough. I don't worry about his calculations being off or getting audited because I know he has such a thorough paper trail."

Bazett, 31, is Japanese-American with Hawaiian roots on his mother's side. He had extensive experience working at restaurants and bars before opening The Golden Bear. Modrow called Bazett the "face" of the business, a "stand-up individual who volunteers as a court advocate for foster children."

Bazett describes himself as reserved and "fly-by-night," but getting more organized with help from his Blackberry phone.

"I definitely have to warm up to people," Bazett said. "He's more a warm, open book. He's friends with you in less than five minutes."

Even their snow sport choices — skis versus snowboard — speak to their opposite personalities, Bazett said.

"It's like a cat person and a dog person," he added.

Laughing, Modrow agreed the two are opposites.

"I can grow a lot of facial hair. He has a hard time growing facial hair," Modrow joked. "I value that about him a lot. When summertime hits, I get really hot. Maybe I'm more adaptive to the winter, but you can't say one is better than the other."

Their complementary personalities help make The Golden Bear a success, Bazett said.

He is concerned with hospitality: making sure the bar is stocked with amenities such as a wide range of liquor, a "palatable selection of wine at good value," nice hand soap, kosher salt. He keeps the temperature comfortable and the Bloody Mary hot sauce hot, he said.

Modrow's "personal mission" is to make people feel welcome, Bazett said.

The bar's name is a "California pride" thing, because California is the Golden State and the bear is the state animal, said Modrow, citing the golden bear statues outside the state fairgrounds at Cal Expo.

"We've tried to steal those a number of times, but we've always been unsuccessful," he said.

Photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.