OT: Skeller closing
- Thread starter El-Jefe
- Start date
Totally ot, but when I was in grad school at Rutgers, there was an on-campus pub (Rutgers Pub and totally university-affiliated) in the basement of the student union. Yes, the prices were lower than off-campus bars/pubs and you had to get a pub-specific ID to be able to enter. Only issue was it closed early (11pm, as I recall) but between the campus bus system and the prices, it was pretty much an ideal place.
To me, the Skeller is one of the best college bars in America and I don't think I'm alone in thinking that. Top 5 best Penn State tradition for a lot of alumni. Oldest bar in PA. People in the industry worried they're going to turn the skeller into a joebot sports bar banking on everyone being cool with it cause it'll have the Paterno connection. Explains Jay's bizarre defense of it last night on twitter. That would not be cool.
https://www.change.org/p/state-coll...blish&utm_term=share_page&utm_content=ex39:v2
Petition to save them
Petition to save them
Lets raise the funds and make it a wrestling hangout 
Lets raise the funds and make it a wrestling hangout
So let's play this idea forward..... the board raises money to buy the Skeller. Then we host the first ever PA Fight Night in our new basement dive bar and invite all the PA D1 wrestling coaches. There are a bunch of them so it would be a packed house with coaches, media and fans. Cael decides this is beneath him so he sends Nico in his place. Nico attends and delivers an F-bomb laced tirade in front of the media.... This definitely moves the needle from 'having fun' to 'having a BLAST!'
I'm sure Spyker is in for $500. Only question is whether the other patrons will let him in, or if he'll have to sit outside, looking down through the windows, like he has to at practice.So let's play this idea forward..... the board raises money to buy the Skeller. Then we host the first ever PA Fight Night in our new basement dive bar and invite all the PA D1 wrestling coaches. There are a bunch of them so it would be a packed house with coaches, media and fans. Cael decides this is beneath him so he sends Nico in his place. Nico attends and delivers an F-bomb laced tirade in front of the media.... This definitely moves the needle from 'having fun' to 'having a BLAST!'
Never would have pegged you as an inscriber . . . Those must have been pre-Mrs. Roar days.
I'm concerned about the this establishment being closed as a result of info in a 3inch binder indicating this is the place where global domination plans are created! Can't believe corn money could buy it out!
Correct, senior on Main Campus, 1977. Mrs. Roar appeared in 1981. And your "pegging" isn't too far off...spent more time studying than hitting the bar scene. It was weekends only on occasion, or Wednesday night oldies at the Saloon when I could. Hit all the bars noted in this thread, also the Brewery, for Suzie Wong's egg rolls, and a beer...not nearly as much as I'm sensing from others in this thread...as far as hitting the bars, even nowNever would have pegged you as an inscriber . . . Those must have been pre-Mrs. Roar days.
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got 8:30 reservation for spats tonight. Trying to get to town early to do some shopping and break a glass at the skeller for old times sake.
Ill try to get some 3" binder material to report back.
Ill try to get some 3" binder material to report back.
Strongly suggest, no driving and drinking...seriously. Can't help myself, safety and health is a thing with me.
You misunderstood. The bottle opener is a tip for the waitress. You are lucky you got out alive.
I bought a skeller T-shirt last night and our waitress at dinner really held nothing back talking about the situation. The restaurants have a christmas party coming up and I expect the BWI boards will be flush with info after that party speech.
The waitress was not kind to the paternos.
The waitress was not kind to the paternos.
Heard today that Ye Olde College Diner might close too. Grilled sticky's, 2:00am or thereabouts, 1974 through 1978. Local staple!! Anyone remember Gus's Cheesesteaks??
Spent a few nights at 4am having breakfast at the diner. 82-85 for me. I'm not old like some people.
Queen Bee used to sing there on Sunday Nights. Good times after a hard weekend of drinking.
When the buildings where being sold, no potential buyers where allowed to look at current leases. The Skeller has been signing 1 year leases since the 80's. The current crop of buildings being sold goes up and includes the Chinese Restaurant. Those business have been working on multiple year leases. I have heard there where some rumblings about selling the name Skeller but that as well fell through. Sounds like to hard headed business men not able to negotiate decent terms for both parties. In the end, fans of the Skeller and Spatz lose out. Personally, I like the Skeller (maybe not as much while in college) but I still walked in every time I was up. I proposed to my wife on the nittany lion, then went straight to the Skeller for a shot. 16 years later we had our last drink in there in December. So we had our 1 more.
I have bought plenty of apt buildings in my life. It makes zero sense to not allow the leases to be viewed. How can you verify income? It sounds like this deal was guided in one directiin from the beginning.
100% agree. Anyone that would even consider buying a commercial building without looking at the lease or leases is well, I'd like to be kind, but that is just idiotic.
Can't say I have and agree with you. Giving you first hand information from 1 of the store owners in this deal. Not suggesting the deal was right or wrong. Only thing I know is I'm losing a place that I have some very good memories in like so many of us on the board.
Maybe. That would certainly be ideal, but the buyer's realtor should be able to assess the commercial rental market anyway.
Good chance the realtor doubles as the property manager for comparable downtown bldgs, thus has access to those leases to "survey the market."
If you view it as a long term buy, and you have enough money to belong to or join the Downtown State College oligarchy, then an initial period of suboptimal revenue probably isn't a no go.
That is way to iffy and no bank is going to lend you the money for the purchase without knowing what the revenue stream will be. Which means this is either all BS or the buyers already had a new tenant or tenants lined up and KNOW how much rent they are willing to pay. The info in the CDT articles on this is very poor. If the Skeller can't afford the rent the new owners want because they can't make a profit then how can some other business make a profit paying that rent? Answer is there is a lot of info about all of this we don't know and I bet the new owners do or they would not have bought the place. Or of course, they could just not be to bright. Either way what has been reported has not told anything close to the whole story.
I understand what you are saying to a point but I have seen some interesting leases and "grandfathered uses" in leases. Obviously you can get a lawyer involved etc but it's not typical to witthold leases. Politics always play a part to some extent in towns like SC and I would be shocked if that wasnt the case here.
Was there last night. One week left.
The framed PSU wrestling legends poster is still hanging on the wall next to the men's room door. If the owner is not looking to keep it for himself, maybe it would make a good silent auction item for the slush fund.
The framed PSU wrestling legends poster is still hanging on the wall next to the men's room door. If the owner is not looking to keep it for himself, maybe it would make a good silent auction item for the slush fund.
I am no longer an expert, since I graduated in 1986, but I believe there are two, Happy Valley and Otto’s, though neither are in the part of downtown that is generally walking distance from campus.
It’s a bar. And objectively it hasn’t struck a chord with me in 25 years. Will I miss it being an option? Some. Now Zeno’s, Scorpion (RIP), Brickhouse (RIP), that’s a different matter.
I didn’t turn 21 until Dec ‘85, and my preference ordering is something like, ...
Zeno’s
Brickhouse
Scorpion
Skeller (older)
210
Phyrst
Brewery (Pizza Pi & Yuengling 1/2&1/2
Skeller (newer)
G Man (more for its Mechanicsburg ties)
Saloon (used to index a little high on higher-income dicks)
Den (never quite got it)
Gaff (OK when you’re exactly 21 with no $$)
I didn’t turn 21 until Dec ‘85, and my preference ordering is something like, ...
Zeno’s
Brickhouse
Scorpion
Skeller (older)
210
Phyrst
Brewery (Pizza Pi & Yuengling 1/2&1/2
Skeller (newer)
G Man (more for its Mechanicsburg ties)
Saloon (used to index a little high on higher-income dicks)
Den (never quite got it)
Gaff (OK when you’re exactly 21 with no $$)
with the closing this week I just called to get a table at spats before the goofer match....no can do. Said they are booked solid this whole week, but could I come in for lunch saturday.
So I called the Tavern and will instead sin before the match......
So I called the Tavern and will instead sin before the match......
Students are sending the skellar out in fine fashion. Line is around the block
