Dive bar Archive

  • (Mason City, IA) Scooter’s 128th bar, first visited in 2006. We asked for a good place to eat. “Right here,” said the bartender. Well, we didn’t really want tacos, though,...

    #128: Willow Run Lounge

    (Mason City, IA) Scooter’s 128th bar, first visited in 2006. We asked for a good place to eat. “Right here,” said the bartender. Well, we didn’t really want tacos, though,...

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  • (Clear Lake, IA) Closed, but a new bar has opened in the same location. Now called Rumorz. Scooter’s 127th bar, first visited in 2006. All I can really remember about...

    #127: Players Sports Bar & Dance

    (Clear Lake, IA) Closed, but a new bar has opened in the same location. Now called Rumorz. Scooter’s 127th bar, first visited in 2006. All I can really remember about...

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  • (Clear Lake, IA) Scooter’s 126th bar, first visited in 2006. It was a warm, overcast Thursday afternoon in August as we walked around downtown Clear Lake, Iowa, enjoying cold drinks...

    #126: Elly’s Lake Front Tap

    (Clear Lake, IA) Scooter’s 126th bar, first visited in 2006. It was a warm, overcast Thursday afternoon in August as we walked around downtown Clear Lake, Iowa, enjoying cold drinks...

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  • (Clear Lake, IA) OUT OF BUSINESS Closed in 2007. In 2009 a place called Bikerz tried to open up but couldn’t get a liquor license. Scooter’s 125th bar, first visited...

    #125: Ingy’s

    (Clear Lake, IA) OUT OF BUSINESS Closed in 2007. In 2009 a place called Bikerz tried to open up but couldn’t get a liquor license. Scooter’s 125th bar, first visited...

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  • (Clear Lake, IA) Scooter’s 124th bar, first visited in 2006. We had a choice between draws for $4.50 total or a pitcher for $5.00. It was a tough call, but...

    #124: Retlaw’s at the Lake

    (Clear Lake, IA) Scooter’s 124th bar, first visited in 2006. We had a choice between draws for $4.50 total or a pitcher for $5.00. It was a tough call, but...

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  • (Clear Lake, IA) Scooter’s 122nd bar, first visited in 2006. This bar is a small chain with most of their locations clustered in north-central Iowa, but for some reason it...

    #122: Other Place

    (Clear Lake, IA) Scooter’s 122nd bar, first visited in 2006. This bar is a small chain with most of their locations clustered in north-central Iowa, but for some reason it...

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  • (Clear Lake, IA) Scooter’s 121st bar, first visited in 2006. This was a 2-sided bar on Main Street right downtown. We noticed that the lower level side of the bar...

    #121: Rookie’s

    (Clear Lake, IA) Scooter’s 121st bar, first visited in 2006. This was a 2-sided bar on Main Street right downtown. We noticed that the lower level side of the bar...

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  • (Osceola, IA) Scooter’s 120th bar, first visited in 2006. Pretty good sized bar. I found out later it’s associated with an attached bowling alley that we didn’t even notice! We...

    #120: Rookie’s

    (Osceola, IA) Scooter’s 120th bar, first visited in 2006. Pretty good sized bar. I found out later it’s associated with an attached bowling alley that we didn’t even notice! We...

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  • (Osceola, IA) Closed, but a new bar has opened in the same location. Now called Foxy’s Scooter’s 119th bar, first visited in 2006. The bartender confirmed for us that that...

    #119: Plain Jane’s Lounge

    (Osceola, IA) Closed, but a new bar has opened in the same location. Now called Foxy’s Scooter’s 119th bar, first visited in 2006. The bartender confirmed for us that that...

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  • (Osceola, IA) Scooter’s 118th bar, first visited in 2006. Young crowd, bolted leather seats, country music, 5 ceiling fans with none of them on. I got a phone call and...

    #118: West Side Tavern

    (Osceola, IA) Scooter’s 118th bar, first visited in 2006. Young crowd, bolted leather seats, country music, 5 ceiling fans with none of them on. I got a phone call and...

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  • (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 117th bar, first visited in 2006. Due to the extreme darkness a good picture could not be obtained either outside or inside. But this bar’s most prominent...

    #117: Side Tracked Again

    (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 117th bar, first visited in 2006. Due to the extreme darkness a good picture could not be obtained either outside or inside. But this bar’s most prominent...

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  • (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 116th bar, first visited in 2006. Everything about this place screamed dance club from the outside and we were a bit hesitant, but once inside we saw...

    #116: Twilight Zone

    (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 116th bar, first visited in 2006. Everything about this place screamed dance club from the outside and we were a bit hesitant, but once inside we saw...

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  • (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 115th bar, first visited in 2006. The bar area was quite large and located on the upper level. We think this may have been a members-only place...

    #115: Eagles Club Room – Post 1398

    (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 115th bar, first visited in 2006. The bar area was quite large and located on the upper level. We think this may have been a members-only place...

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  • (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 114th bar, first visited in 2006. We munched from styrofoam cups of snack mix and I found that the restroom had the smallest trough-style urinal I had...

    #114: American Legion – Post 70

    (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 114th bar, first visited in 2006. We munched from styrofoam cups of snack mix and I found that the restroom had the smallest trough-style urinal I had...

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  • (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 113th bar, first visited in 2006. A fairly small place with an L-shaped bar and a slightly rowdy crowd. One guy was particularly drunk and tossed out...

    #113: Montgomery Street Pub

    (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 113th bar, first visited in 2006. A fairly small place with an L-shaped bar and a slightly rowdy crowd. One guy was particularly drunk and tossed out...

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  • (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 112th bar, first visited in 2006. This was a fairly large place with a long bar, font and rear entrances, that was split lengthwise with the bar...

    #112: Good Time Charley’s

    (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 112th bar, first visited in 2006. This was a fairly large place with a long bar, font and rear entrances, that was split lengthwise with the bar...

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  • (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 111th bar, first visited in 2006. Nice neighborhood spot. L-shaped bar and several booths. 108 N Elm St Creston, IA 50801US [launch map] (641) 782-2615 Visit Web...

    #111: Elms Club

    (Creston, IA) Scooter’s 111th bar, first visited in 2006. Nice neighborhood spot. L-shaped bar and several booths. 108 N Elm St Creston, IA 50801US [launch map] (641) 782-2615 Visit Web...

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  • (Afton, IA) Scooter’s 110th bar, first visited in 2006. After Bert’s, having a beer in what was essentially a Butler building wasn’t quite as enchanting but this was still a...

    #110: TJ’s

    (Afton, IA) Scooter’s 110th bar, first visited in 2006. After Bert’s, having a beer in what was essentially a Butler building wasn’t quite as enchanting but this was still a...

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  • (Afton, IA) Scooter’s 109th bar, first visited in 2006. Afton, Iowa is the former county seat of Union County, and has a nice town square to prove it. While people...

    #109: Berts Pub & Grub

    (Afton, IA) Scooter’s 109th bar, first visited in 2006. Afton, Iowa is the former county seat of Union County, and has a nice town square to prove it. While people...

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  • (Arispe, IA) Scooter’s 108th bar, first visited in 2006. This place had a pretty big dance floor. When we explained to the bartender that we had come up through Lamoni,...

    #108: Long Branch Lounge

    (Arispe, IA) Scooter’s 108th bar, first visited in 2006. This place had a pretty big dance floor. When we explained to the bartender that we had come up through Lamoni,...

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  • (Ellston, IA) Scooter’s 107th bar, first visited in 2006. We sat at the short end of the L-shaped bar under the watchful eye of a mounted goat head smoking a...

    #107: Darlene’s Place

    (Ellston, IA) Scooter’s 107th bar, first visited in 2006. We sat at the short end of the L-shaped bar under the watchful eye of a mounted goat head smoking a...

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