On May 29, Mike Clark, owner of the music venue Mikey’s on 12th, posted a notice stating they would close permanently because the building was being redeveloped as apartments, and that the future was unclear. On July 1, musicians took to the stage there for the last time.
The good money was betting that Mikey’s was gone for good, another casualty of the city’s rapid growth.
That all seems like ancient history to Clark on October 18 as he drives towards his opening day at the new location of his eponymous Juke Joint and Eatery at 6404 Bowness Road N.W.
The building has a storied past as a music venue. It was previously the Bowness Hotel and featured live music in the tavern, then it became Hexters Pub, which also featured live music.
While Clark focuses on last-minute little details on the opening weekend, there have been a lot of big details that have already been worked out to bring this all together, including, first, deciding whether or not to continue as a venue owner. Having done that, next he needed to find a new location.
In February of 2023, Clark had looked at the old Hexters Pub site, which had closed in 2020, but decided he didn’t want to run two places at the same time again like when he had both Mikey’s Juke Joint off 10 Avenue S.W. and then opened Mikey’s on 12th in 2017.
“When it came to moving, I kind of hit the ground running and knew that place hadn’t been filled up yet, so I got in touch with them again.”
Clark credits Gerry Garvey, who owned the old King Eddy Hotel, with helping ease the transition.
As Garvey, a massive music fan and presence at Calgary gigs for decades, recalls, “The owner, Mike Evans of Atlas Developments, is an old friend of mine. I knew his space was available, and so I put a call into him and arranged for him to meet Mike and I. [He] has a good heart and understands the importance of live music and the arts. We were able to come to an agreement that I’m sure will work for everybody.”
Clark agrees. “I think they gave me about as favourable a rent as they could. Most of the operating cost is rent to be honest. They’re interested in seeing live music flourish.”
With that huge piece of the puzzle fitting nicely to create the bigger picture, Clark’s path was cleared to move forward.
He speaks of being buoyed by the Mikey’s community, who clamoured to keep the spirit of the venue alive and who contributed about $25,000 to a fundraiser to help with the move.
Almost everything at the Bowness location was moved or repurposed from the previous two Mikey’s locations or sourced used. “We sourced a lot of stuff, repurposed things from 12th, took stuff from the Juke Joint that I had in my garage. We were scrounging around. There is not a lot of new material in there.”
The decor isn’t the only area that features many old favourites. Clark has simplified the menu and added a beloved recipe for Texas chilli, which has been a hit during the week-long soft opening, during which the place has already solidified some Bownesian regulars. Salads, burgers, sandwiches, soup, and of course, tacos grace the menu. Although Clark parted ways with longtime taco partner Alli Said, his sons and business partners Carl and Jimmy, who did most of the renos to get the place ready and were in the kitchen at the old place, have been making those tacos for years.
And the music continues seven days a week, with the familiar Tom Phillips Laidback Jam Sundays, Steve Pineo Trio Mondays, Tim Williams Tuesdays, a Pineo-hosted jam Wednesdays and a song lab on Thursdays.
The community of Bowness has welcomed Mikey’s with open arms, with people inquiring about the place as he goes for coffee and saying they are glad he is here.
“My vision from the get-go was to have a live music venue that was comfortable, and had good sight lines, good sound, and to be able to showcase some really good performers and performances. As well as being a grassroots place where people could develop as players. The overall vision hasn’t changed.
“This one is going to be our best space to do that vision because it’s a good size. The capacity is 220, whereas the last one was 160, but it feels more comfortable. It feels more of that juke joint vibe that was in the first one. It’s a bit of that neighbourhood pub feel we had at the first Juke Joint.
“We’re excited to be back at it. It’s been a long summer of blood, sweat and tears. Literally. The community has supported me, and that’s why we’re here. It takes a village, right?”
Mikey’s Juke Joint and Eatery features live music seven days a week at 6404 Bowness Road N.W., mikeysjukejoint.com.
