(Image: John Richards)
(Image: Revolver)
Two Capitol Hill vinyl bars keep spinning right round. On E Pike, Life on Mars is celebrating five years of business. Down on E Olive Way, Revolver Bar marked a decade of good tunes and stiff drinks. Both host incredible record collections — and lots of good times.
Revolver held a big bash earlier this month to mark its double album worth of years on Capitol Hill.
CHS reported here on the opening of the record and music-focused hangout in May 2014 in a venture from longtime Seattle producer and musician Gary Reynolds.
Up on Pike, meanwhile, Life on Mars is ready to mark five years on the Hill. It’s been fun — and a challenge. “So we opened Life on Mars 9 months before the pandemic,” KEXP DJ and co-owner John Richards writes about the milestone. “We made it through that and as you may know, 100 other things to see our FIVE year anniversary on June 1st. That’s a big deal. We opened it to create a space for music, records, a sustainable menu, a place where people treat you with kindness and much more. We have achieved that I believe.”
CHS reported here on the June 2019 opening of the Bowie-inspired bar at the corner of Pike and Harvard that combined the music-loving and community talents of John and Amy Richards, and fellow co-owners Steven Severin and Leigh Sims.
“We take a lot of pride in the space,” Richards said at the time. “Steven’s been up here for years. I’ve been coming here for years. We know this corner and from everything we’ve heard from people coming by in the neighborhood, they’re glad it’s not, I don’t know, Amazon Fresh or Starbucks.”
Turns out, Life on Mars outlasted Amazon and the coffee giant on E Pike — though it hasn’t all been hunky dory.
Take a spin and stop by Revolver and Life on Mars to celebrate.
Revolver is located at 1514 E Olive Way. Learn more at revolverbarseattle.com.
Life on Mars is located at 722 E Pike. Learn more at lifeonmarsseattle.com.
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