What: Shooters

Where: 351 Lisbon St., Lewiston

Hours: Monday-Friday, 3 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. 

The feel: Live music, food and drinks in one of two settings: a quieter martini bar or a larger, full-sized

The deal: $3 cover at large bar, pub-style food at inexpensive prices and live music six days a week.

The final word: “I want to offer a fun place to go with no problems, live entertainment and monthly fundraisers to continue giving back to this community.” — owner April Tarmey

Advertisement

Editor’s note: Going out today is all about the options. Whether
you’re in the mood to go dancing, see a live band or just sit with friends catching
up over a drink or two, finding the right place makes all the difference. This week we start a monthly feature on area clubs and what they have to offer.

LEWISTON — Shooters is like
two nightclubs in one.

The martini bar, open Monday through Saturday, is
more intimate for quieter evenings. And, since they serve food, people can also grab a bite to eat. With the occasional acoustic performer,
patrons can sit at one of the smaller tables or at the softly lit marble bar. There is a dress code in the martini bar, so no sneakers, ripped jeans or tattered Ts. Mondays are restaurant staff appreciation days, where employees from area restaurants are invited to come and enjoy 50 percent off their meals and select drinks. Tuesdays are dedicated to public service personnel, such as fire fighters, public works employees and those who work for local and state governments.  

The larger side of this nightclub has a small stage for bands, a dance floor and
a three-sided bar complete with dancing poles. Certainly the means for a
slightly more adventurous evening. Open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, live music is a definite, with blues, rock and country bands. Every Saturday is theme night, something owner April Tarmey says has been well received by her patrons. Past themes like patriotism, the Irish, Mardi Gras and a lingerie show were some of the best attended, she says. 

Tarmey, of Auburn, opened
the bar just a few months ago with the goal of bringing a different and, she
says, “more positive” nightclub experience to area bar-goers. Shooters’ main focus for musical entertainment is
to revitalize classics like blues and jazz, while still offering rock and
country. Every Wednesday night starting at 7:30 p.m., area
blues musicians turn out for the open mic blues jam. 
And anyone who walks through the door at Shooters on
Wednesday nights for the blues jam is entered into a drawing for
tickets to the House of Blues in Boston.

“I really want blues to stay alive,” said Tarmey. “If people don’t know they can get blues in this
area they are going to travel and spend money somewhere else instead of keeping
it in their own town.”

Shooters also holds
charity events once a month and different contests throughout the year, benefiting everything from injured veterans to The March of Dimes, and Tarmey says this is her way of giving back to the community.

Having fun with the business, she says, is her main objective. Getting the word
out that this nightclub is different from its predecessors is something she is
working hard at. Bringing a different clientele to the area and seeing more people enjoy what Shooters has to offer are ways that Tarmey says she’s measuring the bar’s success. 

“It’s just something I want to offer: better music and a fun, trouble-free night out,” she said.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.