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As fans of The Simpsons, the owners and staff of Wildcat Tavern in Hamilton have often included a few references here and there at the bar to the long-running animated show.
But as Halloween approached this year, an idea started coming up, according to co-owner Ian Leipurts.
“Why not give the whole bar a costume?” he said.
The establishment is now dressed up as Springfield’s grimy local bar, Moe’s Tavern.
From dressing up their beers, redesigning their menu, to modifying their front sign, Leipurts and his wife, Jenna Firsht spent about a month planning and transforming the place and ended up altering around 75 per cent of the interior decoration.
Co-owner of Wildcat Tavern Ian Leipurts said as big fans of The Simpsons, this was a costume that made sense for his Barton Street bar.
“We thought we could have a lot of fun with it and that’s what we’re doing,” he said.
Leipurts said he already considered Wildcat Tavern, which he and Firsht have owned for over three years, to be the Moe’s of Hamilton, so the costume wasn’t too far off.
“It’s a local watering hole with a cast of regulars and a home away from home for a lot of people,” he said, and speaking of regulars, that’s who he hopes will take notice.
On Halloween, he said everyone plans to dress up as the tavern’s titular owner, Moe.
“I hope to just get a chuckle from everyone who comes in,” he said.
Bar owners know their demographic ‘very well’
Nadine Ubl, executive director of the Barton Village BIA, told CBC Hamilton they’ve never seen a business go all out like that, but they weren’t surprised.
“Ian and Jenna are phenomenal people. They very much have a community spirit, and this is true to how they operate,” they said.
Ubl said with running a small business being very difficult both in Hamilton and “all over,” seeing “that hopeful, positive spirit still exist among small businesses, it really is heartwarming.”
They commended Leipurts and Firsht for “knowing their demographic very well” and for taking an opportunity to shine a light on themselves and doing something unique.
The bar redid its entire menu and incorporated several Simpsons references everywhere in their space. (Aura Carreño Rosas/CBC)
In fact, the costume has started a conversation amongst Barton Village BIA staff, who have discussed encouraging other business to dress up in a similar way in future years.
“The businesses in this area, they do like to compete a little bit,” Ubl said.
“So if we can add some sort of a contest to it, I’m sure we could encourage a few more businesses to take it on.”
It wouldn’t be the first time the BIA put on a friendly competition. Every year, for the month of February, storefronts fill up their windows with heart cutouts and raise funds for the BIA in the process. The top three businesses then win a prize pack that helps support them, Ubl said.
“It would be true to form for us to take something like that on for Halloween moving forward as well,” they added.
In February, the Barton Village BIA in Hamilton asks businesses to offer heart cutouts to customers for them to write on and decorate their storefronts. (Submitted by Barton Village BIA)
Support for businesses includes contest to win rent-free space
The Barton Village BIA is hosting its own Halloween celebration as part of Hamilton Day on Saturday, where they hope people will finally realize that “there is fun and safe and exciting things to do in this neighbourhood.”
Over the years, Barton Street’s reputation has not been great, Ubl said.
“We’ve been really working the last couple of years to try and change that,” they said.
“This sort of like dirty and dangerous reputation it’s almost funny that people still think that.”
The BIA is also giving away an opportunity for a local business to have a two-month retail pop-up rent free.
Businesses must apply by Nov. 8 for a chance to set up at the space from Nov. 15 to Jan. 15.
Those applying must meet a number of requirements, including being Hamilton-based.
“Whether you’re ready to open your first storefront or you’re looking for a place to test your next big idea, we want to hear from you,” the BIA said on its website.
