Air Conditioned Lounge
4673 30th Street San Diego, CA 92116 619.501.9831 www.airconditionedlounge.com Owner Gary John played up the drawl as he said it: “I’m from outside Nawlins.” Okay, listen: you throw a little boy from down south my way, dressed smart in a slim-fit red button down and broad grin who’s offering me a signature cocktail, and I’m into it. Air Conditioned Lounge, you’re off to a damn good start. Salvaging the bare bones of nowdefunct Your Place Bar and Grill, the AC Lounge feels big league without any self-promoting or entitlement. The space is intimate and vibrant; the high-backed mid-century retro industrial bar stools, their tapered legs enclosed by a brass ring footrest, are that perfect vintage accent you scour thrift shops for but never find. “I knew the colors I wanted from the very beginning,” Gary tells me. And here’s the thing about Gary: he could be reading me his grocery list and I’d still feel like he was letting me in on a secret. “We wanted a club that had a colorful vibe, that was not going to be classified as a dive bar.” The “we” refers to his partners in the AC Lounge enterprise, best friend Paulo Emanuele and Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Richard Rosenblatt. Paulo,
killed tragically in a plane crash in 2009, gave the Air Conditioned Lounge its name “from a small sign above the door,” a relic from its humble beginnings as Your Place that told customers off the street they were steps away from cooling down inside. Nearly ten years later, that tired karaoke bar has made way for a novel experience. Dive bar it’s not, neighborhood dance lounge it definitely is. I’m cozied up in a lofted booth with a protected view of the main floor, sipping a Berryjito that features a summer-sweet blend of Van Gogh blueberry vodka, acai and fresh blueberries. It’s the product of an internal competition among the bartenders where Gary dictates the criteria and the winning drink hits the menu. To date, whiskey, tequila and a shooters challenge followed that first vodka mix-off. Up next? Rum. Their VIP section, the FREON room, is ideal for a few rounds in private, but if you want the best view in the house, reserve the Sunken Lounge for an exclusive frontrow seat at the party. The warm browns, reds, oranges and gold of the color scheme that Gary first envisioned are as classic as he knew they would be. The room, under the watchful eyes of a vintage James Bond panel, would be a fitting refuge for any workweary Darrin Stephens or Ward Cleaver. But come in on a Monday, when Organized Grime pumps out dubstep and drum and bass, and you’ve time-warped into “the
year 2030,” he laughs. “It’s so alive.” Known for its strong drinks and dance parties, the AC has garnered a reputation as a bit of a flagship in cutting edge music. From the old-school Rockbox Wednesdays with DJ Superfox and DJ Atari where mashups hit the map in San Diego to the three-and-a-half-year reign of Big Sonic Chill, Gary has made it a point to give his talent the freedom of innovation that comes with trusting and respecting your team. With weekend lines hugging the block, patrons are giving their nod of approval. It’s seven nights a week of tailored entertainment, and thanks to DJ Mike Czech playing ‘80s, ‘90s and top hits on Saturday nights, you don’t have to be an EDM enthusiast to pay them a visit. Whether you’ve stopped by before or are planning your first drop in, be on the lookout for some choice improvements ahead. Gary winked at an interactive social app currently in development for use inside the bar and an elevated, Vegas-like treatment in the Freon Room. In 2015, there are plans for a complete layout overhaul that’s going to turn the place “on its ear.” With attention to details both overt and subtle, maximizing the quality of your night out. I’m not at all surprised the Air Conditioned Lounge has marked its territory in San Diego for the long term. While nothing about it mirrors its predecessor, don’t hesitate to think of it as a place of your own.
Native Knowledge
Arrive in style. A weekend dress code means the crowd here looks ace, so it’s no wonder that more than one chance encounter at the AC Lounge has led to marriage.
| Indian Summer 2013 Issue | 71