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San Ann Enters New Musical Stage

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By GEOFF FOX

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 12, 2008

SAN ANTONIO - With its festive atmosphere and family-friendly restaurant, San Ann Liquors & Lounge has long been a nighttime destination for locals.

Popular among 20-somethings as well as the gray-haired set, the unassuming red brick building just west of Curley Road on State Road 52 attracts crowds seeking gator tail, fried chicken or catfish, drink specials, camaraderie and local entertainment.

Now, the ultimate locals' spot is trying to broaden its appeal.

With a new outdoor stage, San Ann Liquors could become a sought-after venue among touring bands and music lovers from across the Tampa Bay area, says Mark Smith, a former aspiring musician whose family owns the business.

Harmonica Red and the New Herd, a traveling group from Louisiana, was the first band to prompt a cover charge at the restaurant a few weeks ago.

"If I couldn't play music for a living, I wanted to at least provide a conduit for people to come and enjoy it," said Smith, 29. "We have the real estate to accommodate 1,500 to 2,000 people.

"I'd like to have some well-known bands. Eventually, we'll get some seating out here."

Smith said he has gotten some promotional help from DJs at WMNF, 88.5 FM, who have talked about upcoming shows on the air. He hopes to build interest in the venue through word-of-mouth advertising. The slow economy, he said, isn't conducive to paid ads.

Behind the building is an outdoor stage built in the shade of large trees. Smith wants to add lighting and a roof.

There is another stage across the yard - a former storage area that now also boasts an outdoor bar, the walls of which are decorated with metal signs, mirrors and other items donated by regulars.

Combine the stages with a horseshoe pit, bocce space and a large grassy area where camping chairs are routinely set, and the venue has the laid-back ambience of a large backyard barbecue.

In fact, visitors are often greeted by Mark Smith's dog, Q, an energetic but friendly mixed breed.

Rob Beaumont, leader of local band Bugtussle, said he enjoys playing on the new stage, which sits about three feet off the ground.

A member of a local musical family, Beaumont has played at San Ann Liquors for years as a solo act and in a variety of groups. Until the outdoor stage was built, musicians played on an inside stage, beneath a racing banner and in front of people eating dinner. When the weather is bad, musicians still perform inside.

"Once they get a roof on it, you won't have to worry about the weather," Beaumont said of the outdoor setup. "Put a cabana bar over by the stage and they'll be set."

On a recent Friday evening, Bugtussle performed a set of modern and past standards, as a young girl turned cartwheels near the stage and a small white dog chased Q around the yard, between vehicles and chairs.

"We get a lot of families and a lot of different people, people from Saint Leo University and the golf course," said Butch Jarvis, a San Ann Liquors employee who also hangs out there. "It's a real nice group of people, and it's always fun."

More than 110 people turned out for the Harmonica Red show, paying $10 in advance and $5 at the door. Smith said the usual crowd is between 18 and 60 people.

More changes are in the works. Smith's brother James N. Smith II said free weekly blues jams will start in August, from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

"Anybody can come and plug in and play, or just do whatever they want to do," he said.

Reporter Geoff Fox can be reached at (813) 779-4613 or gfox@tampatrib.com. Keyword: San Ann, for more sights and sounds from San Ann Liquors & Lounge.

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