Adding some style to the neighborhood

The folks who run Sidebar are setting their sights on revamping
Glendale’s image

THE MIXER

Los Angeles Times
CalendarLive.com
July 21, 2005

By Lina Lecaro, Special to The Times

Glendale has more shop spots than hotspots, and even with the nearby
Scene Bar’s eclectic rock bookings, it’s a galaxy far, far away from
becoming a hipster hub.

Or is it?

The folks who run Sidebar are setting their sights on revamping
Glendale’s image.

Though most neighborhood bars tend to be no-frills dives or loud,
sports-oriented spaces, Sidebar is far more atmospheric. The
crimson-hued room is warm and inviting, from its earthy walls to the
pretty lamps that dangle from the ceiling, to the plush sofas and
pillows that line the length of the place. We did notice a TV tuned to
ESPN, but other than providing a way for those who care to check scores,
it’s incidental on most nights.

Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays there’s a smooth yet funky mix of
hip-hop, ambient electro and pop set at a volume loud enough to groove
to yet low enough to have a conversation. Things get louder on Tuesdays
and Wednesdays, which feature live blues and jazz, respectively, and
Fridays and Saturdays, when house and hip-hop DJs get patrons shaking in
the open space at the back of the bar.

Owner Louis Hayek had his eye on the little-known dive called the Gold
Rail for some time, and two years ago, he and Nigel Manoukian took it
over. After a gradual remodel and name change, it wasn’t long before the
place was packed with Hayek and Manoukian’s pals, and their pals.

Although Hayek and his partner are of Armenian descent, he’s annoyed
that some, including online city search guides, have labeled his place
an “Armenian bar.”

“It might have been popular with a young Armenian crowd when it first
opened,” he says. “But it’s really mixed now.”

He’s right. On a recent Thursday night, Sidebar was sprinkled with a
rainbow of races, ages, fashions and characters. There was the white,
married couple in their 50s wearing jeans and sipping red wine; the two
Latinas in office attire who popped in after a late work night to relax
on the comfy couches, sip martinis and vent about their boss; and a pair
of trendy young local gals dressed down in plush velour sweatsuits
chatting up the bartenders.

Sidebar was the perfect pit stop for our group, which was headed for the
more hectic Sunset Strip later in the evening. The reasonably priced
drinks (we had sweet – but perfectly spiked – Sea Breezes and Long
Island iced teas) weren’t watered down, and we were able to sit down
without forking over dough for bottle service.

“I wanted to bring a little Westside flavor to the area,” Hayek told us.
“Like Cedd [Moses, a pal of Hayek’s] did with the 4100 Bar in Silver Lake.”

Could Glendale be the next Silver Lake or Hollywood, nightlife-wise? Not
likely. But Sidebar is a casual yet stylish alternative for locals weary
of the street congestion, valet fees and the meat-market vibe at boîtes
in more bustling parts of town – and it’s at least as much of a
destination as the Galleria.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress