The Stadium Inn’s festive crimson and gold sign promises “mixed drinks” on its topsy turvy sign and is a beacon of amusement and possible debauchery to legal DU students. And although the sign doesn’t promise a mixed bag, that is certainly what you’ll find at the lovingly nicknamed “Stad” or less flatteringly labeled “Shadium.”
The Stadium Inn is like a grab bag in that you never know exactly what you’ll get. It typically doesn’t live up to expectations, yet patrons continue going back for more, partially for the thrill of possibility. And any dive-bar savvy hipster will recognize in the Stadium a spot-on adherence to each and every dive bar convention with its permeating odor, sticky floors, soupy air, sketchy bathrooms, dirt-cheap drinks and ragamuffin assortment of old and young regulars.
Despite confirmed rumors that the Stadium Inn offers a selection of food including a suspect assortment of all-American breakfast, lunch and dinner pub staples, even hipsters that enjoy a greasy hamburger on occasion would be ill-advised to indulge in culinary fare from this joint.
When it comes to its promise of “mixed drinks,” Stadium certainly delivers. With a full bar, it is possible to order just about any run-of-the-mill cocktail or beer that a heart could desire, however, it would be best to quell expectations for signature cocktails or fresh ingredients that have become a hot commodity as of late. The Stad sticks to the basics.
The bar also claims to be the leading seller of Jim Beam in the entire country, and mythical though this may be, it’s not difficult to believe after observing the sheer quantity of Beam and Gingers or Beam and Cokes that are consumed nightly. At $2, a Beam and (insert preference here) is clearly the best choice. And while your average hip alcohol connoisseur may prefer a high quality bourbon or scotch, when it comes down to it, whiskey is still whiskey.
A $10 credit minimum, likely instated to ensnare the wealthy credit-card toting humans of DU, may not seem like much. But with most drinks running from $2-$3 it’s best to bring cash if you’re not looking to overimbibe. However, this $10 minimum may also inspire a spirit of sharing.
Stadium’s tunage is entirely dependent on the crowd in attendance, and may range from Johnny Cash to Beyonce to the Zac Brown Band. While the playlist may not remain consistently cutting edge, music snobs have the chance to commandeer the jukebox and instill the other patrons with a good dose of counterculture in the midst of predominantly mainstream drivel.
And while Stadium isn’t shiny or new, doesn’t boast a single exposed brick wall or minimalist light fixture, doesn’t offer top-shelf liquor infused with locally-sourced jalapenos or play the latest in Brooklyn’s underground electro-pop music, it is steeped in a refined and endlessly authentic sense of nostalgia, with roots that are undeniably linked to DU.
Emerging in the 1940s as a hangout for the now defunct football team, Stadium evolved into a hangout for the hockey team in the 1960s, bikers in the 1970s and was one of the first area establishments to denounce a policy of segregation after WWII veterans protested the establishment’s segregation policies in 1947, according to AAC’s Historical Object of the Month.
Despite its reclamation by students, the Old Standby remains a haven for a diverse array of lushes. It’s likely that some of the old regulars are lingerers from the biker days of the 1970s, and it wouldn’t be odd to see a bearded pool shark purchasing shots for a group of college students in a spirit of jollity and goodwill.
And let’s not forget the Stadium Inn’s many other perks including free pool during the day, birthday mugs, Tuesday Ladies’ Night, friendly bouncers and bartenders (if you’re nice and you tip) and close proximity to campus.
When it comes down to it, the Stad is a dive bar dime.
