THE LIBRARY

When Dacey Garza was working the bar at the Vermillion, unlike her colleagues, she wasn't thinking about tips. She was thinking about running her own bar one day.

That day has arrived.

Last Friday she hosted her grand opening. The Library, located midway between 11th and 12th on Washington and formally known as La Rioja, was packed as the word snaked its way through the community: There is a new joint in town and es buena onda.

"Why did I baptized this place The Library?" says Garza as she repeats the reporter's question. "When I was bartending, everyone called me the Librarian. I guess it must have been my glasses."

With the city commission allegedly committed to making downtown's revitalization a reality, the turning point may have come to fruition. That's Garza's opinion anyway. Otherwise, she wouldn't have invested in her business.

"I feel we're on the cusp of something special," says Garza from behind the bar in a setting that can best be described as cozy. "When the plaza around old City Hall is completed, there will be a new momentum that is going to attract new people to our downtown that is nothing less than a living museum."

The Library is an open book. From good whiskey to fine wines to cold beers, this ain't no cantina. With a kitchen specializing in wings, pizza, hotdogs and hamburgers, the menu appeals to any drinker's delight. The seating varies from bar stools to tables and chairs to couches. The televisions are strategically located.

"I want my customers to feel at home and I believe I have achieved that goal with the décor," continues Garza. "I believe my prices are reasonable. I am committed to this venture. I won't be the spring flower that wilts in the summer. I plan on being at this location for many years to come."

"I hadn't spent any time downtown until Dacey opened her venture," offers Crystal Ibarra who assists the owner behind the bar. "People have the wrong impression of downtown. It's very mellow."

"We are making sure all the street lights work," begins a newly elected city commissioner who likes letting his freak flag fly. "We are going to install cameras as well as man a police sub-station with officers patrolling on bikes from six in the evening to two in the morning. In my estimation, it's now or never because in a few years it's going to be never for me and I have no other alternative but now."

Downtown is fun. El Hueso de Fraile, the Half Moon Saloon and The Haven have weathered the storm and are forging onward with confidence. 

"I see it happening," smiles Garza. "I want to be a part of this renaissance."