The big draw

Suzie Harrison

Every night draws a crowd to the Ocean Brewing Company It’s one of

the hottest spots in Laguna Beach for locals and people in Orange

County. In fact, it’s the place most often suggested to residents

looking to check out good music, atmosphere and people.

Though each night the crowd varies a little, its popularity never

seems to change, and with its entertainment lineup, Ocean Brewing Co.

continues to draw in lines of people.

Inside, the walls host varying artwork, giving it a gallery like

appeal. It’s a vibe owners Jonathan Thomas and his wife Maria, both

artists, are going for. The couple opened the popular brewery nine

years ago.

“Since we opened we try to change the art every couple of months

and have a new artist,” Thomas said. “Sometimes they’re famous, other

times they’re local -- we switch it around.”

Always looking for something fresh, the newest music feature is on

Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m.

“On Sunday, we wanted to do music during the summer, Sunday

afternoon,” Thomas said. “We wanted to do something different, a

different style.”

Acid jazz fits that niche, Thomas explained. Most Sundays the band

Liquid Window plays. Also featured is a band Dino that plays funky,

folky blues.

“We’ve been doing it since June,” Thomas said. “The crowd is

relative to the music. This crowd is an older, more sophisticated

crowd -- 28 to 38 years old.”

Mondays its closed, but Tuesday night is close to being as busy as

Friday.

Tuesday is ‘80s night, with a DJ spinning favorites and the dining

tables cleared to make room for dancing. At certain times on Tuesday

night a steady line invariably forms. This past Tuesday, like many

before it, the dance floor was packed as DJ Chris Carter kept the

crowd going.

Corona del Mar resident Kelly Ameli, 25, said this is the second

time she’s been to ‘80s night and plans on coming when she can.

“I had a good time, I like the vibe of the people and it has a

good atmosphere,” Ameli said. “The DJ spins and there’s a lot of

dancing and drinking.”

Tuesdays always draws the youngest crowd, aged 21 to 28 years old,

and is more targeted to the surf and clothing industry -- with which

Thomas has ties through some of the musicians and artists and the

clientele.

“Eighties night draws outside Laguna Beach but the main group is

from Laguna Beach,” Thomas said.

Kendra Hollena, 21, from Newport Beach and her friend Alison Eade,

22, from Mission Viejo enjoy coming to Laguna and dancing to ‘80s

music.

“It’s a change of pace from Newport Beach,” Hollena said. “We like

‘80s music, it’s become a hang out, this is where our friends come.

All the ‘80s fashions are coming back.”

Eade and Hollena said that they used to be into the club scene but

favor Ocean Avenue, as most people call the brewery, because it’s

more down to earth.

Mariana Meneses, 24, from San Clemente, said everyone talks about

‘80s night at the brewery.

“Tuesday nights, it’s the hot spot here,” Meneses said. “There’s

so many different people here you meet and the bartenders and music

are great, it’s fun.”

Friday nights DJs spin house and hip-hop.

“Friday is usually beats out Tuesday because we have more of a

dinner crowd,” Thomas said. “Usually throughout the night we have a

crowd of at least 300.”

Starting in July, on Wednesday nights, will be a band out of L.A.

“Vagenius.”

“Vagenius is new-wave, funk put together by Joaquin Cooder,”

Thomas said. “His father Ry Cooder is a famous musician. Wednesday

the crowd is usually 25 to 35, the music brings in an older crowd --

it’s campy and cool, really top notch.”

Wildly popular local band “Common Sense” plays reggae on Thursday

nights.

“The reggae crowd is so diverse with people from 60 to 21 years

old,” Thomas said. “That’s what’s great about them, they have a real

broad market of fans. I personally like that -- all age groups

together, it’s more fun.”

Thomas’ first experience in a tavern was a pub in England, where

guys in suits were having conversations with someone with a Mohawk.

“I think that’s the way it should be, it’s just like common

ground,” Thomas said.

Ocean Brewing Co. is at 237 Ocean Ave. For information, call (949)

497-3381 or go to www.oceanbrewing.com.

* SUZIE HARRISON is a reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. She may be reached at 494-4321 or suzie.harrison@latimes.com.