Celebrate Eight Years of The American with a B-Day Bash, Oct. 17th

The Goods from The American

Vancouver, BC | The American is turning eight! The quintessential neighbourhood hangout located at the intersection between Mount Pleasant, Strathcona, and Chinatown is extending an open invite to come down and celebrate eight years of business with a night filled with tasty libations, delicious eats, karaoke and general frivolity.

The night will also mark the return of The American’s notorious karaoke competition – The American Idol! They’re extending a call out to all singers with dreams of superstardom (or just dreams of putting a little cash in their wallets) to come and impress a panel of (not-so) celebrity judges! Contestants will need to lay it all on the line for a chance to win the illustrious title of THE American Idol and a choice between $200 cash or a Sonos Move 2 Speaker. Contestants are encouraged to email [email protected] to sign up in advance. Regular karaoke will ensue once the winner is announced.

Festivities will kick off at 5PM with the bar offering up complimentary welcome drinks to guests who RSVP along with a kickass happy hour all night long to celebrate the launch of their new late night happy hour which runs every day from 9PM til close!

DownLow Burgers will be featuring their “October Fest” menu – a month long feature menu that’s more of a literal take on the traditional Oktoberfest that typically takes place at the end of September. Mouthwatering items include Octobertots, Chicken Schnitzel and the ULTIMATE feast – THE BAËST: A 6 oz. beef patty topped with gruyere, a chicken schnitzel, half bratwurst, caramelized onions, sauerkraut, pickles, grainy mayo, and lemon mayo all wrapped in a pretzel bun. The feature menu also falls in line with the launch of Prost! Lager – The American and Hero’s Welcome’s exclusive collaboration with Main St. Brewing.

The American would like to extend a big thank you for all the support throughout the years and looks forward to cheers-ing with friends and family on October 17th!

A bit of a history lesson on The American…

The current version of The American opened in 2016 but the building itself has been through many incarnations and is definitely an iconic part of the neighbourhood’s history. Built in 1907, the building was originally called the Clarendon. The Ivanhoe was built at the same time and The Cobalt just a few years later – making the trifecta of hotels a hotspot for the low-income working class and travellers alike.

The 70s saw the evolution of the bar scene in Vancouver and with that came drugs and gang activity. For years the area of Main St. between the Ivanhoe, the Cobalt and the American was aptly named ‘The Devil’s Triangle’. In 2006 the city revoked the American bar’s liquor license and evicted the residents of the hotel.

The building sat empty for five years before single resident occupancy rental units were revived upstairs and the bar reopened as the Electric Owl – an Izakaya-inspired restaurant/live music venue. The venue was a vibrant part of Vancouver’s live music scene before closing its doors in 2015. The space was reopened in 2016 with a return to its original name. The American was given a big facelift and its spirit was renewed as a fun, approachable pub where people could get their fill of local craft beer, delicious burgers, sports and games all in one spot. The bar has seen a few changes since opening (more games, hosting more events, and DownLow Burgers setting up shop in the kitchen), but one thing never changes: there are always plenty of good times to be had at The American.