For the past 15 years, the Quahog Republic in Falmouth has really leaned into the dive bar moniker; for proof, just look up and you’ll see a scuba diver hanging from the ceiling.
In fact, it even says “dive bar” on the establishment’s sign out front, along with the motto “live, give, relax.”
The Quahog Republic is one of those hole-in-the-wall, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of places, which is perfect for a business that advertises itself as a dive bar. It’s located behind Walmart in a small strip mall above a bowling alley.
“I think every good dive bar has character to it and you know when you step into one,” says Quahog Republic co-owner Erik Bevans, 51. “I truly believe barrooms have their own essence and become what they are from the people, from the experiences. Its own character rises to the top.”
There’s certainly plenty of character at the Quahog Republic, perhaps best resembled in its mug club. If you drink 28 beers in the month of February, you get your very own 25-ounce mug placed on the wall, reserved for you to use every time you come back in for the rest of the year. Bevans says there are about 100 mugs currently hanging on the wall.
What makes a bar a dive bar?
Aside from mug clubs, what really makes a dive bar a dive bar? Is it the cozy, small-town feel? The dim lights? Eddie who sits on the bench all the way at the end and likes to tell stories that everyone knows aren’t true? Bevans believes it boils down to a checklist of a few different things, including “strong, good drinks” and “being affordable.” The service, of course, has to be friendly, plus a game room with darts and live entertainment are a must—all things Bevans says the Quahog Republic has. But there’s more to it than just that, he says.
“The lineage of it,” he adds. “The stories that the place could tell without even talking to anybody.”
Bevans opened the Quahog Republic in 2010 with fellow co-owner and business partner Tom Hughes. It originated as a beach bar on Mashnee Island in Bourne, where it lasted for 14 years before Bevans had to relocate.
He cites the “wavering” economic climate of 2010 as a key factor in deciding to go the dive bar route when pondering his next move, calling it “super affordable to get into.”
“It was partly a business decision but also a passion,” he says. “We thought ‘geez, wouldn’t it be cool to be able to take that energy we had back at the old restaurant and bring it here with that same vibe of just being super friendly and treating everybody like no one’s higher or lower than anybody.’”
Today, the Quahog Republic is under an umbrella that includes other establishments like Leeside Pub in Woods Hole, Whaler’s Tavern in New Bedford, and Waterfront Eatery in Onset. But none of them embrace the dive bar lifestyle in name and image like the Quahog Republic does.
For those interested in visiting the Quahog Republic, Bevans recommends trying its signature fish and chips, lobster roll or chowder. He calls those and the margaritas and Mai Tais as their “core items.” You can even bring a bit of the Quahog Republic home with you in the form of the business’ bottled cocktail mixes.
“We had these ideas of grandeur and what’s funny is all the dreams came true,” Bevans says. “I’m so grateful for the dive bar. It’s been a blessing.”
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