Reed: Sassy Ann's packs in the crowds and charm

Kim Madeiros and RaRa Hall enjoy the party at Sassy Ann's.

Photo by Keven Reed

Jeremiah Horsely strikes a roguish pose in the pirate-ship atmosphere at Sassy Ann's.

Kim Madeiros and RaRa Hall enjoy the party at Sassy Ann's.

Jeremy McKinnon and Nick Prince party like it's 2009 at Sassy Ann's.

Jamie Daniels and Jacob Rymar share some laughs and mug for the camera at Sassy Ann's.

It isn't often that I have time to get out to the bars during the week anymore, but last week I decided to have a little Thursday debauchery with some friends. Unfortunately no one really had an idea for where we should spend the evening, especially with our first few choices being packed out the door.

After a little debate, we ended up deciding on a place I haven't been to in almost a year, Sassy Ann's.

To be fair, it was not Sassy Ann's fault that I stopped coming out. At the time, Sassy Ann's was picking up in popularity, especially on DJ request night, and simply finding a place to park in the Fourth and Gill neighborhood was a chore. Assuming you did find a place to park, the crowd inside had become so thick that moving around throughout the bar, much less getting a beer, was impossible.

Fast forward to the present and these problems are still present, but for some reason did not seem to matter as much this time.

One thing I would like to point out, however, is that getting to Sassy Ann's is no longer a confusing labyrinth of back roads and detours. With the construction gone, you can now turn onto Gill Avenue and go directly to Sassy Ann's on Fourth Avenue without spending a half hour driving around in circles.

We arrived just a little after 10:30 p.m., only an hour-and-a-half after Sassy Ann's opens on Thursdays, and we were greeted with a packed parking lot and a street full of cars.

When we finally made it to the door, we only had to wait a few minutes before the first half of our group was let in. We grabbed a beer and made our way up to the top floor to have a seat and wait on everyone else.

You might think that all of this sounds terrible, but that's where Sassy Ann's unique charm comes into play. Built inside an old house, the nightspot is instantly inviting. The interior brings to mind the inside of an old pirate ship, with a rustic feel and antique books lying around throughout.

Coming in on the first floor you are greeted with a cash-only bar, serving both beer and liquor, and two rooms off to the side - one with a few places to sit and the other with a pool table.

Moving up to the second floor you will find another bar and some tables as well as about half of the crowd. Sassy Ann's redefines "crowded," with tons of people packed into the tiny area designated as the dance floor. There is something uniquely fun about being crammed into a tiny space dancing and having a good time, especially when the music is fun and not your typical dance-club dribble.

The third floor has more seating, with some booths that have book shelves full of old encyclopedias and such. The fun balcony lets you look over the mayhem on the dance floor below.

Sassy Ann's doesn't offer a huge variety of drinks, but you can get the super-popular PBR Tall Boy for $2 or a mixed drink for $4. They also offer a few domestics for $3.

It was nice to visit Sassy Ann's again. It's a refreshing way to change up the nightlife routine.

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