After 45 years in the bar business, seventy-year-old Chuck Persichetti is ready for one more round: He's resurrecting Brewski's, a bar at Highway 36 and Pecos Street that he ran for ten years and sold a decade ago. "Once you get something in your blood, it seems like it just doesn't go away," Persichetti explains. "And I wouldn't feel happy unless I did one more. I feel good. My health is good. Everything's good. If I knew I couldn't handle it, I wouldn't go into it. I didn't want to be a loser, so that's why I'm going back into it and giving it a shot. My kids tell me, 'Are you nuts, Dad? We should be doing it. You shouldn't be doing it.' I said, 'Yeah, I can see how long it will last if you do it.'"
In addition to Brewski's, Persichetti has run clubs ranging from Bonkers to PJ Goodvibes, My Place, Red Baron and Bloom Saloon. Now his business entity, Holt, is remodeling the former home of Los Pinos Mexican Restaurant, at 2100 East 104th Avenue in Northglenn, into the new Brewski's, which Persichetti hopes to open by the end of the month. This spot will be a more updated version of the original (which is now the biker-friendly country bar Buckin' Harley's), but with a little more atmosphere, he says. A new stage and checkered dance floor are already in place, and a sound and lighting system will soon be installed; Persichetti plans to bring in local music groups Wednesdays through Saturdays.
While the new spot is about 500 square feet smaller than its 5,200-square-foot predecessor, Persichetti likes the smaller size, which is cozier and more intimate. He says he's designed the place so that the 200-capacity bar will look busy even if there are just fifty people inside — and when those people are inside, the number-one goal is fun. "When you have that feeling of having a good time, they don't forget that," Persichetti promises.
Club scout: There's plenty of fun at Interstate Kitchen & Bar (901 West 10th Avenue), which recently launched a Rock 'N' Roll Spelling Bee on Monday nights. There are usually three heats, according to Joseph Newman, one of the club's owners; the ultimate winner takes home a gift certificate. But anyone in on Spelling Bee nights wins, since Interstate offers $1.50 Lone Star bottles — which sort of ties in, Newman says, since the bottle caps have picture puzzles.
And there's more fun in store later this month, when Interstate will introduce slot-car racing on a 1/32-scale track on Saturdays. "Basically, we're going to do it like you would any professional race," Newman explains. "We're going to have heats and get people into sections so they can do races to ultimately win." During slot-car racing, Interstate will offer appropriate drink and snack specials. Now, that's vroom service!
