Whether you’re dressed in a suit, carrying a skateboard, sitting quietly while writing a poem, or pushing a stroller through the door, all are welcome and coexist at The Artful Dodger. During the day, The Dodger could be compared to the most comfortable chair in your living room with your favorite comfort food at night, push your comfy chair aside and dance underneath neon and black lights. With its decor consisting of eye-catching vintage clocks and radios, neon lights, monthly art shows (which encourage first-time show applications), it’s a haven for the nostalgic and creative side in all of us. I describe my favorite local hangout as a living Rubik’s Cube, with its intention being that the sides never match one another. The Dodger’s success is due to the emphasis it places on connection, and being as much of an individual as those who walk through its doors. Sit, have a cup of coffee and let me tell you a story,” said Thom Metroka, co-owner of The Artful Dodger.Īs a regular for approximately a decade, I agree with the owner. “It’s impossible to describe the Artful Dodger in one sentence. ![]() ![]() “It’s a place where I can be myself or someone else,” a regular said as she giggled. “I’m still trying to figure that out,” another customer said, and paused. “Anything but boring”, said a JMU student. With each visit to the Dodger, you don’t always know what you are going to get–but that’s exactly why we love it.įor weeks, in preparation of writing this blog, I randomly asked its customers, “How would you describe The Artful Dodger?” The Dodger hangs out with everyone–tells jokes to lawyers over coffee at 8:30am, eats artisan french toast while reading a book during Sunday brunch, dances shamelessly during Friday’s Salsa nights with a locally-crafted brew in one hand, and sits down with people he met moments beforehand during Wednesday’s Board Game night. It isn’t striving to become the most popular one on the block it’s that friend who’s unafraid of being themselves. And once you get the beat, you can do anything. -The Artful Dodger ( Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens)įor 25 years, The Artful Dodger (aka The Dodger) has marched to its own beat. This city’s got a beat, and you gotta hook into it.
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