Jaymz Remembers Club Shagnasty’s in Cedar Rapids

Club Shagnasties was a night club with a unique sunk in dance floor located on 16th avenue in Cedar Rapids. It was the most popular bar in town for a few years. The time frame was around 1999 or 2000. I'm not exactly sure, that period of time is a little blurry to me.

"Shags," as we all called it, was THE place to be. Cheap beer, great DJ's, killer music, and an awesome light show. It was always packed, and if you were looking to meet someone of the opposite sex, this spot was your best option.

My friends and I never missed a Thursday night. Thursday is when they gave away free pizza and the beer was super cheap...something like 50 cent draws. They would be at capacity on a Thursday night, it was always a party and we loved it.

Like I said, we were there every week. It was the hottest spot in town. Everyone was there, including patrons under the age of 21. I'm not sure if that's why they closed, but I think it may have had something to do with it.

Shags wasn't a bar, it was a nightclub. It was fancy and somewhat elegant. At least that's the way I remember it. You have to remember, we were killing a lot of brain cells back then shooting beers and slamming test tube shots. It was wicked awesome.

It's weird, there aren't very many "night clubs"in Cedar Rapids anymore. When I moved here in 1996, there were clubs all over the city. We had Confetti's, Bucks, Club 912, The Upper Deck, Desoda's, the Tycoon, The Country Club, Third Street Live, Bulickecks, Zazoos, First They Avenue Live and a few I can't remember.

Those days are gone now. I can think of a few clubs in downtown Cedar Rapids, but it's not like the old days. And we paid a cover back then because that's just what you did. But now people would riot if you asked them for a five dollar bill to walk into an establishment. The world is different now, and there's no free pizza anywhere.

The building Club Shagnasties occupied is now a church. With all of the sins that were committed in that place, it's only fitting a house of worship is now cleansing the premises.

Do you have any memories of Shag's? Comment below and we can discuss.