The Weirs – where local nightlife happens

LACONIA — There’s not much going on at The Weirs after Labor Day – that is, unless you like to party.

Over the past several years – and especially since the Broken Spoke began staying open year-round – The Weirs has become the place to go in the Lakes Region for people looking for a nightclub-like atmosphere. And that activity has begun to extend beyond the end of tourist season, when most other nearby businesses close their doors until Memorial Day, or even the Fourth of July, comes around.

There’s a handful of businesses seeking to continue that trend, and they see the seasonality of Weirs Beach as a chicken-and-egg question. Do the businesses close in the off-season because people stop coming in the fall, or do people stop coming in the fall because the businesses are all closed?

Early results seem to suggest the latter, especially with the success of the recent “Biketemberfest,” a two-day block party that brought hundreds of people to Weirs Beach in mid-September, a couple of weeks after many businesses were shuttered.

Anthony Santagate, owner of Tower Hill Tavern, was one of those responsible for bringing Biketemberfest to Laconia. The event will return, and he’s hoping to introduce another block-party event in mid-May to get Weirs Beach traffic flowing earlier than usual next year.

“We need to get some year-round stuff up here,” said Krista Loring, who, along with her husband, Bret, own the Paradise Beach Club, a couple of doors down from Tower Hill.

The Lorings are in their 19th year running the Paradise, a Key West-themed rock club. This weekend will be their last this year, since they always close with a big Halloween bash and costume contest. If you haven’t got your ticket yet, don’t bother, because all 350 have long since sold.

When they opened the Paradise, they were the only club in the region, and they enjoyed many “booming” years of business. Now that there is competition, the Lorings won’t see the same patrons for three nights each weekend like they used to, but there’s still plenty of business to support everyone. The challenge, said Krista, is keeping those patrons coming year-round.

”We need to get more business in the off-season, we want to extend the season. We want to think of ways to get people here, let’s get these businesses to be able to open in the winter time.”

That’s just what Santagate is trying to do. He used to operate only a pizza shop at the corner of Lakeside Drive and Tower Hill Road, then in 2009 he bought the whole building and turned what used to a gift shop into a rock and blues-themed tavern. Five years ago, he turned the second floor into a dance club, which has steadily built a following over the years, and 2018 was easily his best year yet.

Santagate is alsoplanning to make 2018  his longest year. Though the second floor is currently closed because it isn’t heated, he is still operating his tavern, and plans to keep it open through New Year’s.

He wants The Weirs to become the Lakes Region’s center for nightlife, as it already is for summer.

“We can grow more, that’s why I’m trying to do three seasons,” he said. Santage used to be part-owner of a business in Florida and has since sold his share of that operation to focus on Tower Hill and perhaps other interests at Weirs Beach. His goal is to have as many storefronts open, for as much of the year, as possible.

“As soon as there’s enough people up here to support… it’s going to keep growing,” he said, and referenced recent improvements the city has made to the sidewalks and viewscape of Weirs Beach. “Onwards and upwards. The city put a couple of million into the roads, I put some money into my building, we’re going to rock it.”

The Broken Spoke, located a few miles from Weirs Beach, was once owned by an out-of-state company and open only during Laconia Motorcycle Week. A local family has taken over and is now finding that they can keep people coming throughout the year. Thursday nights, when they have karaoke, are the busiest but, said bartender Kristi Smith, “We’re pretty consistently busy, Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights.”

Smith said there’s “healthy, friendly competition” between the night spots at The Weirs. She has been working in the area for nine years, and in the industry for 25 years, and has found that it’s important to have events – such as Biketemberfest or the Spoke’s Endless Summer Car Show – to give local patrons a reason to come out.

“We do a lot of events year-round,” Smith said. “It just motivates people, there’s more fun, there’s a different dynamic than just going out to drink… If the Weirs could stay open more, it would draw more people.”

Nick Buzzotta, kitchen manager for the Broken Spoke, said there’s a reason for the growth of The Weirs – that people are willing to looking to avoid downtown after dark.

“It’s how bad downtown Laconia is; no one likes to chill there anymore.”

Buzzotta grew up in Gilford and remembers days when downtown was the place to go. No longer. “The Weirs is booming, there’s nowhere else to go to have fun.”

That’s a trend that Matt Menengas is fighting. He’s been operating the Whiskey Barrel in downtown Laconia since February 2017, and has found that his business is best during the winter. When the weather is warm, and when the clubs are open at Weirs Beach, his crowds thin out.

He’s been able to get people downtown by bringing in local favorite country acts, nationally touring rock and country bands, and change-of-pace shows, such as midget wrestling, which is returning to the Whiskey Barrel on Feb. 9 and 10.

“I do believe there’s great potential for this area, but downtown Laconia folds its sidewalks up at five o’clock,” Menengas said. “I wish there was seven more bars downtown. I don’t like being the only bar downtown. I am like the sole survivor.”