New Atascadero bar has a vintage vibe, live music — and a link to a local brewery
A new Atascadero bar is bringing quality brews, live music and a vintage-y vibe to the city’s growing downtown scene.
Tyler and Shannon Clark — the founders and previous co-owners of Libertine Brewing Co. — opened the Raconteur Room at 5840 Traffic Way in May.
The beer and wine bar joins a collection of new Atascadero businesses that have opened on Traffic Way and Entrada Avenue during the past two years, including Traffic Records, Dead Oak Brewing Co. and Dark Nectar Coffee Roasting.
“It’s a cool little community,” Clark said. “Our little Traffic Way vibe down here.”
The Clarks opened the first Libertine Brewing Co. location in Morro Bay in 2012, and the company has since expanded into San Luis Obispo and Avila Beach. But the couple recently exited the business and sold their shares in May, Clark said.
A friend, Traffic Records owner Manuel Barba, suggested that the Clarks check out the vacant Traffic Way space, which was previously home to English Rose Antiques.
Tyler Clark said opening a new spot gave him a chance to build everything from the ground up — just like he did at the Morro Bay Libertine location.
“It’s kind of back to the roots of ‘Every day is an adventure and what can we create?‘” he said.
The word “raconteur” refers to a storyteller, Clark said, and the couple has relationships with all the brands of wine and beer they offer.
“It’s not just local,” he said. “It’s an actual connection.”
The Raconteur Room has an eclectic lounge vibe with plenty of couches and chairs, a stage area for live music, a jukebox and 1980s music videos playing in a loop on the television.
The walls are covered with framed posters of musicians and artists — including a painting of Danny DeVito as his “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” character — the bar is covered with epoxy-coated pennies and the wine glasses are adorned with Michael Scott quotes from “The Office.”
“It’s pretty much just a space to show off our friends and what we’re into,” Clark said.
Americana alt-country folk band The Turkey Buzzards plays at The Raconteur Room every Thursday night, and every Friday, the bar features different singer-songwriters, he said.
Food trucks are available on Fridays and Saturdays.
Clark hopes his customers find a place to savor drinks and conversation, and maybe try something new.
“I hope we could be a community gathering place,” he said.
This story was originally published June 27, 2019 at 6:17 PM.
