Aiken (S.C.) Standard, sports writer

Yeah, unless you've been there during Masters week, it really is dull. The downtown area, at least when I was there, was practically dead except on Friday/Saturday nights. I can't tell you how many times I'd get off work at 12:30, want to grab a beer downtown and found every bar was closed.

 

I grew up in Columbia Co. (next to Augusta-Richmond Co.) The nightlife there is kind of dull. There are a couple of places that are cool, but overall, downtown sucks.

 

It's going through a revitalization now. There are a lot of good bars downtown that you can drink at cheapily and have a good crowd in there (Joe's Underground and their $1 shot nights are damn good). If you want the more popular bars go on down to Washington Road to Somewhere in Augusta, The Country Club, Alley Katz, Wild Wing Cafe.

Sure it can get dull at times, but there are plenty of good bars in town. Even downtown. 1102, Playground, Firehouse etc.

And I speak from experience!

 

I don't wear enough leather to go to the Playground. The bars downtown were good, but they always closed shop early when I was there. Most people went to Wild Wings over on Washington Road, and that's a little out of the way for you if you live in Aiken.

In Aiken, there's the Polo Lounge and that's about it. I can attest that I spent many nights in the Whiskey Junction -- a bar/club located in the back of, I kid you not, a gas station. It was the happening place in Aiken, because unlike the other bars, the Junction stayed open til 5 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. But my understanding from friends still in the area is that the Junction is now a gay bar. Nothing wrong with that, but not my kind of hangout.

 

As for the nightlife, I'm speaking from personal experience. There were 3-4 places on Washington Road I enjoyed going to. Somebody else might have found them boring.

 

There are some good places on Washington Road, but you're talking about a 45-minute drive for somebody living in Aiken. When you get off work at 12:30 or 12:45 -- like you do in Aiken -- you'll end up at one of those places at 1:30, just in time for last call.

When I was there, I lived in North Augusta and could get to Downtown Augusta in 5 minutes. It took me 20 to get to Washington Road. Downtown is nice on Friday and Saturday nights, but during the week it was a joke.

 

Yeah, I understand. At my present gig, I get off anywhere from 1-2 a.m. so my night life is limited to my days off. Comes with the territory.

 

Yeah, the Standard had a pretty solid little sports section not too long ago. Not so much anymore, but one person could come in and do a lot to help it, considering all the different things you'll be asked to do (writing, editing, photography, design). Aiken's a pretty cool town, unique, with a lot of money via retirees from up north. They love the local stuff and therefore, the Standard has done pretty well for its size I believe, despite its quality falling off in certain areas.
There isn't a whole lot of nightlife there, and Augusta's nightlife isn't what it should be for the city's size.