Everything about Aggieville totally explained
Aggieville is the name of six square blocks consisting of college-age oriented bars, restaurants and shops in
Manhattan, Kansas.
History
Before 1898, students at the Kansas State Agricultural College (now
Kansas State University) had to purchase their
textbooks downtown, which, in the age before the
automobile, was inconvenient due to distance and often, mud-soaked roads. The college decided to build a student bookstore and dining facility closer to campus, but it was shut down in June of 1899 after a political upheaval in the college's
Board of Regents. That September, a group of students started the Student Co-Operative Association, and bought the bookstore.
That bookstore would serve as the cornerstone for a developing shopping district that catered specifically to college students. What was once a sparsely populated collection of houses was fast becoming a rich and diverse shopping center, the first of its kind in Kansas. Over time, the area would come to be called Aggieville, after the school's mascot, the Kansas State Agricultural College Aggies. Even when the school's mascot was changed to the Kansas State Wildcats, the name Aggieville stuck.
After
World War I, Aggieville experienced enormous growth.
Trolly lines were built, and later paved over during the car boom of the 1940s. In the 1950s, bars and restaurants began to develop and over the next 30 years, Aggieville would become known as an entertainment and dining district.
With the passing of the
National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, Aggieville saw a slight dip in business at its bars and saw more shops and restaurants move in. However, with the hiring of
Jon Wefald as Kansas State University's new president in 1986, enrollment at the college nearly doubled over the next 20 years and with the increased student population, Aggieville saw a new boom in all types of businesses: shops, bars and eateries.
Aggieville was home to
riots in 1984 and 1986, some of the earliest collegiate sports riots in the
United States. In 1998, Aggieville played host to a massive celebration after the
team's first defeat of
Nebraska since 1969, which included the tearing down of the goal posts and dragging them,
en masse, to the rooftop of Rusty's Last Chance.
Aggieville also plays host yearly to the "Little Apple
New Year's Eve" celebration, where revelers pack the streets of the district to help ring in the new year. At midnight, a brightly-lit apple is dropped from the Varney's Bookstore marquee. The celebration brought an estimated 10,000 people to Aggieville on
December 31,
2005, and was featured live on
Fox News. A week before each Spring Break, Aggieville plays host to its annual "
St. Patrick's Day in the Ville" celebration. This event is called "Fake Patty's Day" by locals because it actually takes place a week or so before the real St. Patrick's Day. Emerald-clad partygoers pack the streets early in the morning and stay late into the evening to watch the annual St. Patrick's Day 5K race and to sample Aggieville's bars. Fake Patrick's Day typically takes place 1 week before the "original" St. Pat's Day. The Parade and Road race take place on the traditional Saturday St. patrick's Day. 2008 Aggieville will celebrate 30 years of St.Patrick's Day parade and Road race.
Today, Aggieville is famous for its bars, its friendly "residents" and its massive, tumultuous celebrations following Kansas State football and basketball victories. It is a rich, vibrant and eclectic district with over 100 shops and eateries that serves as an entertainment district for Kansas State students and residents of the surrounding area.
Establishments
A large part of the unique flavor of the Aggieville scene stems from the multitude of locally-owned and operated bars, eateries and shops located in the district. With over one hundred total businesses, the ever-changing tapestry of shops and restaurants brings a rich diversity of entertainment, food and drink while preserving the unique, small-town flavor of the area.
Here is a flickr image-'map' of Aggieville.
Bars and eateries
With over 40 bars and restaurants in just six square blocks, Aggieville has been the premier weekend destination for Kansas State students and residents of Manhattan since the 1950s.
Rusty's Last Chance
Rusty's Last Chance is the largest bar in Aggieville, although it's actually four bars that have been interconnected. Opened in the mid-1980s and housed in a former gas station, Rusty's was named to
Playboy's Top 100 Bars List in 1997. Between 1996-2000, Last Chance was expanded several times to include Rusty's Next Door (a non-smoking bar), Rusty's Outback (with pool and darts) and Rusty's Other Side (with four pool tables). Since Rusty Wilson took over ownership in 1989, the bar hasn't been closed for a single holiday, operating 365 days each year. The complex houses over sixty televisions, and although the owners don't classify it as a
sports bar, it was ranked the 12th-best sports bar in America by
Sports Illustrated in 2005.
(External Link)
Kite's Bar and Grill
Rich in history, Kite's has served Aggieville intermittently for over fifty years. Originally opened by legendary Kansas State baseball player Kite Thomas in the 1950s, the bar quickly became a favorite with the simple slogan "meet your friends at Kite's". In the 1960s, Kite ran into hard times and was forced to sell his bar, but the legendary name Kite's lived on under another owner, Terry Ray, until 1993. The bar was eventually reopened by Rusty Wilson, then-owner of Rusty's Last Chance. Today, Kite's has expanded to a full block-long bar featuring flat-screen televisions, three full-service bars and a patio.
Auntie Mae's Parlor
In 1927, an enterprising widow named Dora Mae Walters took over for her deceased husband's plumbing store. After two rough years in plumbing, Walters opened a
speakeasy in the dingy basement of the shop. When
Prohibition was repealed, the speakeasy was closed, but in 1974, Auntie Mae's Parlor opened in the same location and was named after the original "Auntie Mae" who brought the small town of Manhattan the drink it needed in the midst of the
Great Depression.
(External Link)
The Aggie Lounge
Opened in 1952, the Aggie Lounge or "The Lou" is the closest thing in Aggieville to a
dive bar. With nachos and other snacks until midnight and a full-service bar, the Lounge has been a favorite for over fifty years. Located a bit off of the main "strip" on N. 12th Street, "The Lou" maintains a loyal customer base and has remained a staple of Aggieville history.
Hibachi Hut
Serving traditional American cuisine along with Cajun and Creole dishes, the Hibachi Hut has been located in Aggieville since 1959. The legendary "Belly Bomb" burger and friendly atmosphere have helped make Hibachi Hut a favorite for nearly fifty years.
So Long Saloon
Featuring a lovingly restored 1904 Brunswick San Juan bar made entirely of mahogany and maple, So Long Saloon has served Aggieville with its legendary burgers and cowboy hospitality since opening in 2001. Awarded the prestigious "Best Hamburger" award by the Kansas Beef Council in 2004 for the "Resist Temptation Burger," So Long has quickly become an Aggieville favorite.
Coco Bolo's
Operated by two native Manhattan brothers, this eclectic bar and grill serves original recipes in a lively atmosphere surrounded with bright colors and original art pieces. It has grown to become one of Aggieville's premier restaurants.
Rock-a-Belly Deli
Since opening in 1987, Rock-a-Belly Deli has been a popular hangout for students after classes with its homemade sandwiches. Advertising itself as a "very small place, a very small kitchen and a half-fast cook," Rock-a-Belly is one of the prized local businesses that thrives in Aggieville.
Pizza Hut
Aggieville is home to the world's oldest continually-operated
Pizza Hut. A Kansas franchise originally opened in Aggieville in 1960, the Pizza Hut has been a staple of the area for over forty years.
Other bars and eateries
Shops and offices
Aggieville contains a diverse menagerie of shops and businesses which are nearly all aimed at the college-age demographic. Since Aggieville's first shop, a
laundromat, opened in 1898, local businesses have catered to students at the nearby university.
Varney's Book Store
The largest shop in Aggieville, Varney's occupies nearly a half-block of space at the intersection of Manhattan Avenue and Moro Street. The shop, built in an old movie theater, sits at the "head" of Aggieville and is well-known for its iconic marquee, which often is emblazoned with messages to students. Varney's carries things that the average Kansas State student requires, from books and school supplies to apparel and computer software.
Powercat Illustrated / GoPowercat.com
The home offices of Powercat Illustrated and
GoPowercat.com are located in Aggieville. This magazine and website company solely covers the
Kansas State Wildcats sporting teams and is considered by many to be the premier source for Wildcat football, basketball and recruiting coverage.
Ballard's Sporting Goods
Selling sporting goods and licensed Kansas State apparel, Ballard's has been a staple on Moro Street for 54 years. The shop also handles custom t-shirt orders, and has been family-owned for its entire history.
On the Wildside
Since opening in 1990, On the Wildside has filled a niche as a unique shop selling custom hemp necklaces, incense, tapestries, door beads, posters and band paraphernalia (mostly the
Grateful Dead,
Bob Marley and
Phish).
Other shops
Trendy With a Twist
Two Mom's Boutique
The Palace
Rock Star and Roger's
Hayne's
Scaly Dave's Herp Shack
CD Tradepost
The Dusty Bookshelf
Zotcis
Ideal Cleaners
Sun Connection Tanning
Moore Property Management
Pro Fitness
Wildcat Barber
Junior's Barber Shop
The Library Discount Liquor
Copy Co.
Shaggieville Salon
Sisters of Sound
Olson's Birkenstock
Stickel Cleaners
Aggie Hair Shapers
Bathmatik's
Krystallo's
Acme Gift
Bronze Image Tanning
Shear Dynamics Salon and Day Spa
Willie's Car Wash
Campus Hair Salon
Thread
Fineline Tattoo
Stray Cat Tattoo
Defunct establishments
For one reason or another, some establishments didn't stand the test of time. Here is a list of places that are no longer around:
The Pink Taco - restaurant on the corner of 11th and Moro; changed name to Bordertown, then became Mini's Diner
Bombers - a bar/lounge that was renamed 'Club Karrington'. Prior to the name Bombers, the live music bar was The John, followed by Brothers and followed by Snooky's. Whatever the name, the historical building burned to the ground in the 1998 fire.
Greek's Pizzaria was a local, original pizza parlor that was destroyed in the 1998 fire.
The Lucky Brew Grille - This sports bar/restaurant gave way to Porter's and Lucky's was relocated in Mission, KS (External Link)
Mighty Fine Doughnuts - This place sold doughnuts -- from about 9pm to 1am. Owned by the people who owned Lucky's.
Espresso Royale Cafe - an eclectic coffee shop that sprung up during the Seattle/grunge trend in the early 90's. It was quite a warming place, but closed. Radina's opened in its former location.
The Dark Horse Tavern - was a bar for "the long-hairs" that operated from 1969 to 1978.
The Mar Cafe- Popular Chinese restaurant in the 60's and 70's on Manhattan Ave until Freddie and Suzi Mar moved their fine establishment to West Loop off Anderson Ave. The Mars retired to Sacramento, Ca in early 80's.
A V News- at SE corner 12th and Moro. a mom and pop place 1960s and 70's maybe earlier. Like the modern convenience store. cigs, newspapers, sundries etc
Kite's Apartments apartment units above Kites from the 1950s through the 1980s and beyond.
The Main Gate--- bar on alley between Moro and Laramie and 12th and ManhattanFurther Information
Get more info on 'Aggieville'.
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