March 7, 2007
Dr. Dremo's Tapped Out
If it seems as though the saga surrounding the fate of Arlington pool hall and taphouse Dr. Dremo's has been dragging out for years, it's probably because it has. From a concentrated effort by Arlington County to shut the bar down due to (admittedly) leaky roofs, to the ongoing efforts by Elm Street Development to get the County to approve the sale of the site (along with next-door Taco Bell) for condominiums, Dremo's has been the little dive bar that could, improbably surviving long after most business owners would have thrown up their hands and boarded up the windows.
But David can only stand up to Goliath for so long, though, especially when Goliath comes in the form of yet another high rise condo building in the Wilson/Clarendon corridor. The sale of the property finally has been approved, and all that remains is for Elm Street to get their construction permits and Dremo's will be closed for good. Before you rush over to start crying into your Delirium Tremens, there are two silver linings to report. One is that building permits take an awfully long time to acquire. The bar is reporting that it will take at least until February of 2008 to complete this process, so you've got a good solid year of cheap pool ahead of you before last call. The other is that Dr. Dremo's has no intention of going down with that final 8-ball. A search is underway for a new space, so if you know of a suitable building in the area that's not on the verge of being demolished for overpriced apartment homes, by all means let them know.
For our part, we hope Dremo's is successful in finding new digs. Pool purists like to grouse about the quality of their tables, but atmosphere, value, and quirk have always trumped all other considerations there, to the overall benefit. Whether it was the little canal that once ran around the bar carrying little plastic boats on an endless loop, or the Washington Psychotronic Film Society playing some mondo LSD trip of a film in the background while you shot pool downstairs, atmosphere has always been the draw of Dr. Dremo's, and there really is no other place quite like it in the area. Back in the days when a heavy rain consistently resulted in a dozen buckets and trash cans distributed strategically throughout the upper floor, even that had a damp, but homey charm to it. People commented on it, but rarely complained. Those who did whine about it were immediately identified as outsiders to the bar's large crew of regulars.
Over the years, they have played host to an eclectic mix of regular and special events, from swing dancing to open mic comedy and music nights, and their more famous features like the Night of 1000 Elvises to the already dearly departed Beer Pong. For a time, they were even hosting a goth dance night, which usually seemed to entail about a half dozen folks dressed in black huddled around a portable DJ booth in the corner of the basement listening to old Bauhaus and Cure records. All of this, underpinned by the cheapest pool prices around and a relatively impressive beer list for a small neighborhood dive, has made Dremo's into sort of a populist's dream bar, with a little something for everyone.
We wish them well in finding a new home, and in the meantime, we'll be by for a drink as often as possible.
Photo by Flickr user furcafe.
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Fuck Dremo's. They better not close down that Taco Bell!
Unless they're reopening in the lobby of the condos, you can kiss your Chalupa goodbye.
Who cares about Arlington. I guess if we're lucky you'll write about Burke next.
My money is on them moving to Falls Church, along with all the other establishments that made Wilson Blvd interesting.
I really, really wanted to like Dremo (Bardo?) but they alienated me a while back. I could deal with the sick building syndrome thing, but for a while they had 1 working toilet (everyone was peeing in the funny looking trough sink anyway), apathetic staff, and indifferent management. Things were much better the last few times I was there, but I think it was too little too late.
Haven't they heard? Overpriced condos are SO summer 2006.
The funny thing is that spots like Dremo's are what made Courthouse 'hep' to begin with, and made it a desirable place to live.
Dremo's has been the little dive bar that could...
If Dremo's is a "little dive bar" then maybe I can rent out my closet as a "spacious" studio apt.
And really, while I kind of like the place, let's not glorify it's shortcomings that much. Leaky roofs are fun, sure, but it's all fun and games until ceiling insulation starts falling in my beer. (And yes, I was a semi-regular "back in the day," but it still bothered the crap out of me.)
Dremo's is my home away from home. I love that bar like I loved my childhood home. So many good memories there from the old days of when they used to have small-time dark alternative bands there, to recently when it's simply been a great place to get reasonably priced pool and beer.
Everyone else with a snarky attitude, you can go fuck yourselves. Same goes for those Condo execs.
So wait, who owned the property if not the developers or Dremo's?
You know how I know you're gay? You know where Burke is!
Where is Virginia? I thought this was DC(ist)?!
I can't think of a suitably dingy space for Dremo's, unless we can kick the car repair shop behind Murky Coffee out of its space. I'll miss Dremo's, but mostly because I *really* loved Bardo, which is long long gone. There's just no place to punch a Kennedy in Arlington, these days.
The good news might be - West Elm Developers is a suburban tract housing developer and this is their first project in Arlington, so they will run into large obstacles when they try to get thier plans approved. Even JBG and Monument, who have decades of experience with the county, still run into delays with the board.
This lack of experience should give Dremos enough time to find a sufficient replacement location.
It is one of the few places in Arlingtont that is not a packed meat-market like the awful Mr. Days.
Damn. Well, we all knew it couldn't last.
I'll certainly miss Dremo's - the cheap pool, the decent beer selection, the post-apocalyptic decor, the ability to stumble home a few blocks, etc. - but once it's gone I doubt I'll go anywhere else in VA. Partly because there aren't many good options, and partly because with the smoking ordinance in effect in DC I prefer to go out somewhere where I know I won't smell like an ashtray at the end of the night.
Our little goth night drew 10x the numbers the comedy bullshit did.
Hey DC whiners, you already got your story about a fire station turned into a restaurant this morning, so STFU.
Was it Bardo that had the indoor sandbox? I tried to meet women one night by playing in the sandbox and trying to catch someone's eye. Guess how successful that was?
I watched the election returns at Dr. Dremo's in 2004. There was a group of wannabe-hipster-Bush supporters there who would have gotten run out of there if Kerry's outlook hadn't been so tenuous. One girl had a horribly homemade t-shirt that said "Bush biotch". I'm not kidding - that was the spelling. I'll never forget how fascinated I was with how stupid they looked and sounded. [I'll also never forget how my hangover the next morning felt just that much more painful, considering the circumstances.]
My favorite part about Clarendon, and northern VA in general, is how soul-less and uninteresting it is.
Dremos is about as cool as the time i went to the Aids clinic to try and meet single chicks i knew were promiscuous and into high risk sexual activity. fuck you im dangerous.
now that dremos is going away, someone please promise me that they wont close whitlows? im always looking for a comfortable place to party with 30 year old mid-level managers at mediocre accounting firms that graduated from O'Connoll, Robinson, or Lake Braddock in the mid 90s.
Ugh, DC snobs can suck it. You have it SO much better with your snobby, Hill rat bars and the line of nondescript, generic bars in AdMo.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE TACO BELL?????????
The condos that were approved on the Dremo/Bardo site are at most 5 stories - is that what you call "high rise" around here ?
David, great point about places being cheap and hip, then overrun by condos and chain restaurants, at which point they cease to be either cheap or hip.
Fortunately Dremo's will likely find a new home in what will end up being the NEXT cheap/hip spot -- I'm guessing Columbia Pike.
never been a giant dr dremos fan, but this is the latest in arlington county's (largely successful) attempt to destroy any shred of coolness along the orange line corridor. they are systematically and intentionally replacing what was once a genuine neighborhood with ugly condos and a bogus-ass "main street" environment, all in the name of maximizing profit. iota and galaxy hut next? dont be suprised.
... mediocre accounting firms ...
So where do the mid-level managers at all the best accounting firms hang out? Where is that bastion of cutting-edge sexiness? I mean--they probably wouldn't let me in. But I'd sure like to go and loiter near the velvet rope.
never been a giant dr dremos fan, but this is the latest in arlington county's (largely successful) attempt to destroy any shred of coolness along the orange line corridor. they are systematically and intentionally replacing what was once a genuine neighborhood with ugly condos and a bogus-ass "main street" environment, all in the name of maximizing profit. iota and galaxy hut next? dont be suprised.
"So where do the mid-level managers at all the best accounting firms hang out?"
PJ Skiddoos
On the roof of the Clarendon Ballroom.
Dr Dremo's will remain in my heart forever because that is where I played my first poker game. I was seated in seat ONE, table ONE and my FIRST 2 hold cards ever was pocket rockets, american airlines, two beautiful tall and proud aces.