Photo: Contributed
Flashbacks was a fixture on the downtown Kelowna nightclub scene for nearly 30 years before closing in 2016.
The club may be gone, but the music continues to live thanks to OK Corral Cabaret. The country bar has started hosting Flashback Fridays in honour of the old nightclub, while at the same time giving those 30 years and older a chance to dance with somebody if they want to relive their glory days.
The business model is working, too, according to OK Corral general manager Andy Bowie.
“Our Fridays weren’t that busy without hosting bigger concerts, so we wanted to get something that was more consistent on the Friday nights,” Bowie said. “We noticed there was a demand for 80s and 90s music and a lot of people missed Flashbacks, so we figured we’d give it a shot and it seems to be working out quite well.”
Bowie used to go to Flashbacks himself. He recalls the long lineups on Saturday night and that it was a “pretty wild time. It was hard to get in if you weren’t there by 10 or 10:30.”
OK Corral still has its country night, including mechanical bull riding, on Thursdays for the college crowd, but the demographic on Friday nights is now between the age of 30 and 60.
Bowie is seeing plenty of groups coming out to enjoy all the hits of the 80s and 90s.
“You have the people who have birthdays during the week, and they want something to do on the weekend,” Bowie said. “A lot of the ladies like to get out and dance, and the guys don’t mind watching, kicking back and having a few drinks after the week. It’s a good group thing.”
Stober believes business is booming at his establishment due, in part, to its location on Kirschner Road in the Landmark District.
“People feel safer,” Bowie said, adding people are more likely to leave their vehicles overnight if they have a little too much fun.
The Hip Replacements, a Tragically Hip tribute band, will be belting out the hits tonight at OK Corral, fitting in perfectly with the Flashbacks theme.
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