IOWA CITY—In the wake of one of the most controversial ordinances in recent Iowa City history, the ordinance to ban patrons under 21 from entering bars after 10 p.m., former employees of some of Iowa City’s now-closed bars struggle to make ends meet.
After the ordinance was upheld in the November 2010 election, bars in downtown Iowa City have gone from lucrative hotspots to collapsing empires.
“When Jakes closed, my life was basically shattered,” former One-Eyed Jakes bartender Dale Zarbynski, 24, told the Daily Iowan. “I went from making four hundred dollars every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, to drinking Hawkeye Vodka alone in my girlfriend’s apartment while she’s in class.”
“It’s not fair,” Zarbynski said, choking up. “It should be illegal to take away my livelihood like this. And I’m just one of dozens.”
One of the biggest draws of downtown bars like Jakes for 19- and 20-year-olds was the opportunity to remain sober all night.
“I just love the atmosphere,” said junior Kelsey Brent, now 21. “Back when I was 19, three or four times a week I would go to Summit so that I could pay the cover and then drink lemonade. I had some of my best memories there, entirely lucid.”
When asked whether she would have partaken in the consumption of alcohol if it was easy for her to acquire alcohol from the bars, Kelsey spoke for everyone her age when she said, “That’s not what’s fun about bars. You go there to dance and be sober. What more could you want?”
Now that bartenders like Zarbynski can no longer serve lemonade to patrons under 21, Iowa City’s downtown bars are becoming a thing of the past.
“I guess I’ll just have to go get raped at a house party,” said Brent with remorse. “And the lemonade at parties just isn’t as good.”
