Ironic Sans: Idea: A Bar in Silicon Valley

What about Foo Bar?

Posted by: Ben | June 11, 2008 12:10 AM

Given that that’s clearly a Microsoft Windows progress bar, it should be in Seattle.

Except Seattle’s so-called geeks don’t seem to spur markets for geek establishments… they just stay inside.

Posted by: K | June 11, 2008 12:18 AM

i used to talk a lot about naming a bar “10^3 mbars” (‘mbars’ like in ‘millibars’, the pressure unit) so it could happen a conversation like this:
-Where do we go tonight?
-Let’s go to “10^3 mbars”!
-Uh… What’s “10^3 mbars”?
-Well, “10^3 mbars” is… a bar

See? pure genius! Gold, Jerry! Gold!

Posted by: Mr. Franks | June 11, 2008 1:00 AM

I seem to recall hearing that such a bar was being installed but it never completed and had to be restarted several times.

Posted by: sgazzetti | June 11, 2008 3:21 AM

“Get loaded” ?

Posted by: sam | June 11, 2008 3:27 AM

this idea is amazing and totally the sort of reason i read this blog, a long term goal is to own a bar in NYC one day, i may have to pinch this idea when it comes down to it! will give you full credit of course…we’ll see, give it another 5 years or so!

Posted by: Richard Galbraith | June 11, 2008 5:25 AM

Brilliant.

Posted by: Pavel | June 11, 2008 7:15 AM

Does anyone know of a street named “error”? If so, buy whatever is located at 404 Error street and convert it to a bar named “File Not Found.”

Posted by: Mr. Wisdumb | June 11, 2008 9:42 AM

There’s a bar in San Antonio called “The Basement”? I’m surprised I’ve never heard of it.

Posted by: Dustin | June 11, 2008 9:46 AM

“I’ll stop drinking once the progress bar is full. I promise.”

Posted by: Rockwell | June 11, 2008 9:50 AM

How about a horizontal barber pole, so that it looks like an OSX progress bar? I’ll leave you to mock up the animated GIF.

Posted by: Pete | June 11, 2008 10:20 AM

Hello, it seems a great idea to me, haha!

One questions: what’s the point about the basement in el Alamo? I know el Alamo is a building (a mission) and that there was a battle there, but whats this basement thing? Is it something in american popular culture that there is a basement in the alamo? I don’t get it.

Regards!

Posted by: Siso | June 11, 2008 10:43 AM

Very nice.

Although the name is pretty ambiguous, I’ve always thought that someone should open the Space Bar. Imagine the typewriter-themed decor! Sitting on an @ symbol bar stool. (I sat on the at!)

Maybe a soda fountain called “The Tab Stop,” should be next.

Posted by: Nathan | June 11, 2008 10:43 AM

Siso, here’s a link that should help explain the Basement joke:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYfjq3ZYZbA

Posted by: David | June 11, 2008 11:11 AM

As soon as I saw the loading text I thought it was perfect because when you are leave you will be loaded :)

Posted by: Wavemancali | June 11, 2008 12:17 PM

Not techie, but I always thought there should be a Ballet Barre somewhere in the Village.

Is that the Emerald Inn on Columbus, by the way?

Posted by: pannonica | June 11, 2008 9:54 PM

Brilliant. Definitely a ‘why didn’t I think of that before?’ idea!

Posted by: Daniel Sroka | June 12, 2008 8:05 AM

Actually at the IT University of Copenhagen in Denmark, the student bar is called the “Scrollbar”. Close, but no cigar, I suppose.

Posted by: Tore | June 12, 2008 10:35 AM

Is that a shamrock-and-Corona neon sign in the window??
Since when was Corona Irish?

Posted by: Carlo | June 13, 2008 10:48 AM

That’s really a wonderful idea.

Posted by: Anonymous | June 13, 2008 1:57 PM

My favorite was a bar in rural Georgia called ‘He’s not here” Can you imagine calling there on the phone and someone picks up and says, “hello, He’s not here.” brilliant!

Posted by: Cheryl | June 14, 2008 12:33 PM

My wife called from the other room.

“I just found the name for your bar — go to ironicsans.com.”

So I did.

See, our first idea was The Foo Bar. But we’ve been kicking around a steampunk/mad science theme — Boston is a hotbed of both classic recreation cocktail research, and of molecular mixology, and I’ve been studying both.

“The Progress Bar” would manage to hit BOTH of those, with its geeky computer reference, AND with the Victorian idea of scientific Progress as a goal, which would fit the steampunk idea.

Now, I’m still YEARS away from being in a position to do this — I’m not even at the point of financing — I’m still trying to get more management experience — but, well, if you haven’t used the name in a couple years when I’m ready, can I have it?

Posted by: Ian Osmond | June 14, 2008 1:26 PM

Well, there apparently was a bar of such a name, although according to various pages it is closed now. It was in London however.

Sources:
http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n22q8i/progress-bar
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/43/4312/Progress_Bar/Tufnell_Park
http://www.boozeboozebooze.com/new%20reviews/pbar_main.htm

Posted by: Just Lurking Around | June 15, 2008 10:09 AM

Well, there apparently was a bar of such a name, although according to various pages it is closed now. It was in London however.

Sources:
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/43/4312/Progress_Bar/Tufnell_Park
http://www.boozeboozebooze.com/new%20reviews/pbar_main.htm

Posted by: Just Lurking Around | June 15, 2008 10:10 AM

Yep, the Progress Bar in London became ‘Tufnells’ which sounds far scarier and way less geeky :-) I think the bar above the door should load up whilst the place is closed and then *ding* 100%=bar open!

Posted by: Thursday | June 20, 2008 12:10 AM

Yep, the Progress Bar in London became ‘Tufnells’ which sounds far scarier and way less geeky :-) I think the bar above the door should load up whilst the place is closed and then *ding* 100%=bar open!

(sorry if this shows twice - first time the comment disappeared into the ether..)

Posted by: Thursday | June 20, 2008 12:12 AM

There is (or at least was) a bar in Ft Lauderdale, FL called ‘fubar’

Posted by: chase | June 27, 2008 11:48 AM

Developing the idea in the title, I can suggest creating a small, yet multi-stored, or narrow, yet long bar, and naming it “The Scroll Bar”.

Posted by: Stanium | June 30, 2008 4:24 AM

I work near the Russian Embassy in Washington. For years I’ve fantasized about naming a bar The Cagey Bee. If I had the time, the money & the energy to run a small business, I might actually do it.

Posted by: Georgia Sam | July 3, 2008 1:50 PM

Actually…there was a level in the video game Tron 2.0 called the Progress Bar, where hip programs would hang out and listen to pop/techno music. Seriously.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tron_2.0

Posted by: Joel | July 9, 2008 12:11 AM

When pouring your beer, the bartender stops when the glass is half full, says “buffering,” and then resumes a few seconds later.

Posted by: Jerry Kindall | July 12, 2008 2:37 AM

Not such a good idea to locate the bar in Silicon Valley since it seems to be using Windows…

Posted by: ole | July 14, 2008 5:13 AM

“The Basement” is a reference to Tim Burton’s first feature film “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure”, with Paul Reubens as Pee Wee. In the movie, PW is trying to find his stolen bicycle and in desperation goes to a fony psychic, who tells him his bike will be found in the basement of the Alamo. Pee Wee goes to San Antonio, suffers through the entire Alamo tour (“Please hold all your questions till the end”), finally asks “Where’s the basement?”, only to be laughed at and ridiculed…

Posted by: Tim | July 17, 2008 1:17 PM

Just thought you’d want to know that your creation appeared, neither credited nor disclosed as photoshopped, on this site.

Posted by: pannonica | August 3, 2008 11:30 AM

There was - possibly still is, so far as this suburb dweller knows - a Space Bar in Toronto. No geek-related decor, though. Opportunity missed, one feels.

Posted by: Who Gives A Shirt? | August 11, 2008 3:04 PM

There was - possibly still is, so far as this suburb dweller knows - a Space Bar in Toronto, though there was no geek-related decor. Opportunity missed, one feels.

Posted by: Who Gives A Shirt? | August 11, 2008 3:05 PM

there’s a progress in austin

Posted by: brody | August 28, 2008 11:31 AM

Well, the old Power Mac computers used to have a coffee cup as the timer cursor/icon. That was before the hourglass and watch face versions. Computers used to be so slow you might as well get a coffee while you wait for a file to save.

So, ‘progress bar’ is a good one for a coffee shop.

Posted by: Yael | August 29, 2008 10:34 AM

Funny!!

I have borrowed your image and played with it … hope you don’t mind … if you do let me know and I will take action to remove it. Click my name should take you there :)

Matthew

Posted by: Crazy Buddhist | December 17, 2008 4:59 AM

I like ‘The Library’, a bar located on University of Illinois’ campus. That when when your parents call, your roomate tells them you are at ‘The Library’.

Posted by: tim | November 21, 2009 5:27 PM

I would take up drinking if someone were to open this bar.

Posted by: Link | January 12, 2010 11:30 PM

How about a bar near the town dump called “The Last Load”?

Posted by: Kimo | May 21, 2010 9:12 PM

Very clever.

@Tim There was a bar in the college town of Tallahassee, FL, called The Late Night Library. I always thought it was clever as well.

Another favorite: There is a coffee shop in San Francisco with a laundry attached (a brilliant idea in its own right) called The Sit and Spin.

Posted by: daretoeatapeach | August 17, 2010 5:15 PM

That is awesome… is that Real or Photocropped ?

hope you don’t mind but i saved the pic to my computer, i needed a good laugh today Thank you

Posted by: Battlefield 3 | August 27, 2010 5:42 AM