Courtesy of The Bullpen
Last spring, when DC entrepreneur Bo Blair opened The Bullpen – a 15,000-square-foot beer garden/concert venue directly across from Nationals Park – he was entering uncharted territory. Blair had gained success by targeting Georgetown’s preppie crowd; he owns Smith Point and The Rookery (two bars known for their guest-list only policy), along with Surfside (a casual Tex-Mex restaurant) and Jettie’s (a popular sandwich shop).
But he had a feeling that his venture to the Waterfront District would be successful.“Most ballparks have seven, eight, nine bars right outside the gate,” explained Blair. “We had nothing.”
Today, as New York Magazine explained, The Bullpen “has become the new pre- and post-game scene.”
The Bullpen sits on the northwest corner of Half St SE and N St SE, on a site that will eventually be part of Akridge’s currently stalled Half Street Project. When Blair got the spot, he hoped to have it through the end of the 2010 baseball season. While he now hopes to have the spot through the end of next year’s season, he plans on sticking around long after he loses the lease.
“I absolutely want to be there permanently,” Blair assured me.
He admits, though, that the area has a long way to go – pointing out that there’s still a dearth of bars and restaurants around the stadium. Blair also criticized the lack of cohesion between the waterfront, the stadium, 8th Street SE, and even the Capitol.
“There shouldn’t be pockets of wasteland,” he explained. While Blair admitted that this is partially the result of stalled development, he pointed out that the area does have a lot going for it. “It’s a great area – you have the new Arena Stage, the new Safeway, all the new bars and restaurants on 8th Street, the Capitol – and it’s just going to keep coming around. But right now, it’s not joined together.”
He thinks city officials can and should do more to make the area more pedestrian friendly.
“They can do more with trees, lighting, a wider sidewalk – maybe even a boardwalk. Everything needs to be joined together. The waterfront should flow to the ballpark, which should be joined with the Capitol and 8th Street.”
Blair thinks the city is going to get a taste of the future on Tuesday night – and how packed the stadium area can be — when top draft pick Stephen Strasburg takes the mound against the Pirates.
“Tuesday is going to be a huge day for DC and the Nationals,” Blair explained.
It’s going to be a huge day for Blair, as well. Aside from the sold out game, ESPN Radio will be broadcasting live from The Bullpen.
Some Details: The Bullpen opens at least two hours before each game, and stays open until 1:30 a.m. (alcohol sales end at 1:00). The bar features live music before and after most games. (Full Disclosure: I’m in a local cover band, Sick Feed, that has played at both The Bullpen and The Rookery.)
Check out The Bullpen this weekend when the Nationals pay a 3-game series against Cincinnati, and again the 8th through the 10th against the Pirates.