Blue Mesa Music owner Matthew Grant is set to open a new bar and music venue on Main Street. The Whammy Bar, which will move into the former Rooted Apothecary storefront, is slated for a summer opening.
After 15 years in Gunnison, and watching music venues close and nightlife sputter, Grant has made it a mission to revive the town's entertainment scene.
“My dream for Blue Mesa Music has always been as a 50% music venue, as well as a retail store,” Grant said. “I cut my teeth gigging at the Princess Wine Bar, and fell in love with its listening room environment. I wanted to bring something like that back to Gunnison. A place where you can walk in, no matter what, and there will be live music.”
Grant announced his purchase of the building last September. His intent is to transform the space into a listening room. Named, “The Whammy Bar,” as a nod to the pitch-altering lever on electric guitars, the new venue plans to host live music every day of the week, and offer a new location for local musicians to gather and create music.
In recent years, Blue Mesa has hosted a weekly open mic night. Grant placed a small bandstand against his storefront window, and hosted small crowds that gathered amongst his guitar display walls. But in Grant’s eyes, the venue was only a temporary one, at least until a more suitable option hit the market.
The breakthrough came when Rooted Apothecary relocated in 2024, creating a vacant storefront adjacent to Blue Mesa. Grant jumped on the opportunity.
With renovations well underway, the Whammy Bar is likely to open its doors in summer 2025. Grant said visitors can expect a cozy and comfortable vibe, framed by a rustic bar that runs the full-length of the building, and a bandstand tucked near the entrance.
Amidst the success of the neighboring Crested Bucha, karaoke nights at Double Shot Cyclery and Powerstop’s weekly “flip-night,” Grant said he’s excited to add a new venue to revive Main Street’s nightlife.
“I’m looking forward to having a place for local musicians to feel comfortable, and have an environment to come and create music,” Grant said. “It will be a place for people to come and hear all the talent that our valley has to offer.”
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@gunnisontimes.com.)
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