Brandon and Marianne Viggers pose for a portrait behind the bar at Sidelines Pub in Chehalis on Wednesday morning.
Marianne Viggers is seen in the reflection of a framed newspaper sports page featuring Hank Aaron's famous 715th home run which was donated by a local patron.
Brandon and Marianne Viggers pose for a portrait behind the bar at Sidelines Pub in Chehalis on Wednesday morning.
Brandon “Bub” and Marianne Viggers know what it’s like to revamp a bar and grill.
The pair opened Bub’s Pub in the former Joe’s Place location on North Tower Avenue in Centralia in 2012, changing the menu and decor, and installing 17 flat-screen televisions throughout the venue. Now they’re well on their way to accomplishing the same with Sidelines Sports Bar, open in the former location of Garbe’s Tavern at 313 NW Chehalis Ave. in Chehalis.
“We saw that there wasn’t a sports bar in Chehalis and we wanted to change that,” Marianne Viggers told The Chronicle. “We visited the bar a couple times and Bub talked to Eric (Duarte, the previous owner), and it pretty much just fell into place.”
The pair bought the Garbe’s business after it was listed for sale on Craigslist. The Viggers declined to share how much they purchased the business for, but did say it was less than was originally listed.
Bub and Marianne Viggers took ownership April 1 and opened Sidelines to the public April 16, just weeks after buying the bar without knowing the location or name of the venue as it wasn’t mentioned in the Craigslist post.
Day by day, the Viggerses have chipped away at their mission of overhauling the venue into a sports-friendly bar and grill, much like they did in Centralia. The walls are adorned with sports memorabilia, including framed reprints of old newspapers commemorating events such as Hank Aaron’s 715th career home run. Several of the items now hanging from the walls were donated by the pair’s first customer at Sidelines.
The pair also say they want to add a tribute wall to local high school athletes who are doing well, in keeping with a regional and local sports focus that not only concentrates on such teams as the Mariners, Seahawks and Sounders — but also Chehalis sports and other area teams.
“Someday they could come back here and see it, and it could bring them memories,” Marianne Viggers said.
Most of the Viggerses business at Sidelines has come from Chehalis, and Bub says he has come to expect that, just like the regulars at Bub’s Pub in Centralia hail from the Hub City or points nearby.
“They’re two different clienteles,” Bub Viggers said. “The crowd here is going to be different from the one in Centralia. People in both towns generally tend to stay close to home.”
Garbe’s had to fight a reputation it had gained from several incidents in years past including fights and even a stabbing incident in January 2013. The Viggerses hope that is no more, preferring a more laid-back atmosphere as close to a family-friendly feel as a bar can get. In fact, the bar will host a concert May 23 as local musician Chris Guenther will entertain the crowd.
“We want to be a bar that everyone feels welcome at,” Bub Viggers said.
Sidelines opens at 11 a.m. daily and features a new menu from the one people knew at Garbe’s, including several themed days such as Burger Mondays, Taco Tuesdays and Philly Wednesdays. A staff of five will keep the drinks and food coming until closing time, and also work to keep that relaxed, sports-minded atmosphere for those seeking such an outlet.
“We’re going to make it the working man’s bar,” Marianne Viggers said.
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Christopher Brewer: (360) 807-8235
