The year is 2000 and I was 22 years old. Now, at the time I wasn't responsible by any means and it seemed like my whole objective in life was to go out every night and have fun. Yes, I enjoyed a good drink, meeting new ladies and dancing the night away. I remember the days of waiting until I got paid at midnight on an early Friday morning, heading to the ATM and getting out the fresh cash, so I could have more fun. Now, where did I go back then. Well, it seemed like I was out pretty much every night heading to new spots. But a few places I remember the most.
Coconut Joe's - Joe's was located in West Des Moines, right off the Valley West Drive interstate exit. It was close to where I lived and at the time one of favorite spots. Now you have to remember, I was pretty intoxicated most times I came here, so my memory and the fact that it's been 25 years my make me forget a lot about it. But, the thing I remember the most was you would walk past the main entry way and head back towards the back where the DJ was and the dance floor was. I was such an idiot. I was a dancing machine even though I probably looked like a crazy man to a sober person, it was so much fun. I remember up by the DJ that had an area that you could get up on and dance. It seemed like all the really good looking girls were always up there showing off their moves and outfits. And of course over at the bar they had tons of drinks, but they had a fishbowl type drink we always seemed to get in my group of friends. Who knows what it had in it, but it made it fun. Yes, Coconut Joe's was fun back in the day. I don't know for sure when Joe's went out of business. But if you go to that area now the area has been rebuilt into the new massive West Bank building.
Vieux Carre - When I was younger I would go to Westwood movie theater and watch all the new great movies that came out. But in the early 2000's it went out of business and a new dance bar and club went into that space called Vieux Carre. It was pretty cool at the time. They used the old movie theater rooms as different areas you could go in. One was the dance club. I remember going crazy there on the dance floor. Plus, the theme based on the name was a New Orleans type vibe, so they had the drinks, beads at the time and all that stuff you think of with Mardi Gras. I will say the one thing that was weird to me about this place was my youth, and then my 20's were spent in this same building.
Papa's Planet - This one was located Downtown Des Moines and without Uber driving me down there back then, was a bit more of a drive. But, the drive was always worth it. I mean, I worked Downtown, so worst case scenario I could sleep in my car and then just go to work (just kidding). Papa's always seemed to be busy and it was always funny I would seem to see the same people I would see at the West side bars I would go to. I remember they would have certain specials on certain days, so we would head there on these days to try to save some money. I will give them credit they played a good mix of different music, just not the brand new dance club stuff. The good thing about Papa's Planet was if you saw someone there you wanted to avoid, Downtown had other offerings of bars that you could head to like Generations.
Well, those are just a few of the old spots in the early 2000's that stick out in my brain. What were your favorites. Were you more of a country person and liked Miss Kitty's? Did you ever go to the "Older" bar to dance called Denny Arthur's? Those were the good old days. LOL.
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