Bub’s @ the Beach is coming up on its 20th anniversary this upcoming Sunday, August 26th, an impressive feat in a notoriously competitive industry. The owner/founder behind the Bub’s concept, Todd Brown, moved out to San Diego in a Winnebego in 1991 and landed straight in Pacific Beach. Brown looks back, “Bub’s has changed tremendously in the last 20 years. Originally it was Bub’s Dive Bar where you walked up to the bar and placed your food order. Now it’s Bub’s at the Beach that expanded twice and now has table service. The name evolved as we did – people actually complained that we weren’t a real dive bar because our bathrooms were too nice!”
“When we opened we only had beer and wine and we had to close early during the week. Without live music, dancing, or DJs…we didn’t have what most of our competitors had. You could always get a cold beer and fun up and down the street in PB. What we decided we needed was something that would set us apart and that was our food.”
Garnet Avenue has seen a lot of changes in these past 20 years, which is why the longevity of Bub’s @ the Beach is a testament to the power of perseverance and adaptability in an ever-changing industry. Brown shares what PB was like when he opened Bubs 20 years ago. “1998 was a great time in Pacific Beach. There was drinking on the beach and the Pacific Beach Block Party was still in play. There were downsides to both of those aspects of PB, just like anywhere that has significant entertainment and events, but overall there was a great vibe and tons of people that loved the community. Back in ‘98 you either put on high heels and went downtown or you wore your flops and went to PB. San Diego did not have the neighborhood entertainment districts they enjoy now. When the space became available to open a Bub’s on Garnet Avenue I was all in. I’ve always been all in on Pacific Beach, to me it’s one of the best parts of San Diego!”
For their big 20th anniversary, Bub’s @ the Beach has a weekend filled with specials, ending with a big 90s themed blowout bash on Sunday, August 26:
- Friday, 8/24
- 11 am – 6 pm: Happy Hour deals
- Saturday, 8/25
- 3 pm – 6 pm: Happy Hour deals
- Sunday, 8/26
- 9 p.m. – close – 90s themed party with special rollback prices and 90s jams all night. Get ready to party like its 1998 all over again!
