A family-run business with atmosphere

Sand Bar fights to bring a little respectability back to ML bar scene

The bar scene in Moses Lake is getting a little jolt, thanks to one family affair.

Mary-Jo Day, her husband Travis Laibl and her father Tim Day are hoping the Sand Bar, located at 204 W. Broadway, will provide patrons with a new place to let their hair down.

The bar opened four months ago, after about a year's worth of trying to get it up off the ground. There was even a moment where Day and her father were contemplating going into pesticides.

"(We) were just spearheading some ideas," Day said. "Where's the best return? This isn't exactly shoe retail; people will drink whether they have money or not. But pesticide, we were going through the phone book and there's not very much competition for it. And in this area, there's bugs all the time."

But they decided that there would be more return in the bar industry, and wanted a little place that they could come and enjoy themselves.

Not to mention bring a new sort of atmosphere to the bar scene in the area, Day said.

Some of the Sand Bar's offerings include open mike nights every Monday, and have had some two or three-piece musical set ups, including a young local band and a blues band; blow-out parties and events with distributors; a constantly updated jukebox; pool tournaments and free pool on Sunday; an upcoming Cinco De Mayo party; a May 22 bikini contest and beginning May 1, early bird specials as the bar opens at 7 a.m.

"About every other week we have a nice big event," Laibl said. "We give stuff away, just try to have a good time and keep it a good clean atmosphere."

Day and Laibl say that the bar has a zero-tolerance policy for drugs or fights.

"The old bars that were in this particular location were really seedy," Laibl said. "We're really trying to fight that stigma. We have an excellent menu, of Applebee's, Chili's-style food. So we're really trying to push that we have a very clean bar, and we're trying to keep it that way."

The Sand Bar employs five female and one male bartender, several cooks, one maintenance person and Day's father, she said. Day and Laibl manage the business.

"It was really a great team, actually, when we came into this building," she said. "My husband's got all kinds of electrical and computer skills, and then I'd been in construction for about five years before I got started here. My dad has got a very long history of being in business, managing people and he was in the military, so it's like second nature for him now to have people underneath him and he's just the mastermind behind the whole project. He's the one who opened up the opportunity, so I have to give him my props and my thanks."

Day said that the people out and about on the town really appreciate their new establishment.

"They love the atmosphere," she said. "They come here because this is a good place, you know? The staff here is real friendly and courteous; you never get put down or shut down, we let you let your hair down."

Day said that the Sand Bar has been working hand in hand with the law enforcement agencies and the liquor board.

"We're trying to make all of the right steps to make it a good place and a respectful place in the community," she said. "We've had a few unfortunate incidents, but I think that comes with the territory. For the most part, I think any new business in the community is pretty beneficial; it shows the boost in our economy and that people are willing to take risks. You see them popping up all over the place now, so that's kind of a relief. It means people have money again; we went through a real downside there for a while."

The Sand Bar's hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.