Drivers going down 86th Street in Clive are used to seeing changing names on the building at 1871 N.W. 86th St. But Sazz, which opened in December, is here to stay, according to one of its owners, Ron Walker.
The aviation theme of Hangar 86 is long gone. Instead, the bar has a sleek, modern look with candles flickering on black tables scattered around the room.
Walker calls the bar a classic lounge. It’s the perfect place for relaxing with a good cocktail. “I’ll provide the atmosphere for you,” he said.
One of the biggest changes Walker and his partners made is completely revamping the sound system.
“They had some prehistoric equipment before,” he said.
The bar has live music every Thursday night, and the band Final Mix is booked every Thursday night in March. The bar also has a DJ on some Saturday nights, but Walker cautions that the lounge never reaches a club level.
The bar has several beers on tap, but keeping with the lounge feel, customers can get an array of martinis. Walker used to work at a martini bar, and he brought his experience to Sazz.
“If you’re going to do them, make them right,” he said. Sazz’s martini list is extensive, and Walker says he can make whatever the customer is in the mood for, whether it’s a dirty martini after a long day of work, something light and fruity in the summer or a dessert martini like blueberry cheesecake.
Along with music and good drinks, one of Walker’s main goals is to bring the bars of the area together to create a destination night spot similar to West Glen in West Des Moines. He calls the area District 86.
“A lot of the other owners, I’ve known them for years,” he said. “I’m trying to be the U.N. and revive this area.”
Walker is already working to put together a free shuttle bus that would operate Thursdays through Saturdays and take bar-goers from place to place.
Even though Sazz has only been open a few months, Walker is already looking ahead and plans to stay around. “People need to know that you’re going to be there before they switch,” he says. The bar is still figuring out its happy hour specials, but daily specials are posted on Sazz’s Facebook page.
Customers have started to notice Sazz, and the bar has booked several parties. Walker wants to keep the business growing and he hopes to host different events such as jazz and blues festivals. “There’s a lot of plans for the future,” he said.
Sazz
Find it: 1871 N.W. 86th St., Clive
Hours: 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday; 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday; closed Sunday
Info: facebook.com/sazzbar
