Saltwater Tavern to bring specialty drinks, mocktails, mermaids and pirates to Carson City — along with a real ship
Submitted by Kelsey Penrose on Wed, 10/02/2024 - 1:25pm
For many years, the Burning Man viking ship has been a staple in the Nevada Day parade and now, it will be a common site in Carson City at the Saltwater Tavern.
Saltwater Tavern is Carson City’s newest bar, owned by Jeannie Morgan and husband Troy, opening up shop in the vacant Remedy’s building — including an expansion into what was once a salon next door.
For over 20 years, Morgan and her husband have been attending Burning Man with their mutant vehicles, including the popular viking ship — named Fjorgyn for the mother of Thor — that she said will be used during pub crawls and events.
“It’s perfectly street legal, and it keeps patrons from drinking and driving,” Morgan said.
When it comes to bar ownership, Morgan is taking what might be a different view from many other bar runners.
“I don’t drink,” Morgan said. “Some people say, ‘You can’t own a bar if you don’t drink,’ but we want to create a space that is for people who want to drink socially — including those who are sober. The goal is not to have our patrons drunk. I’m sure it’ll happen, but that’s not our goal. The goal is to create and nurture a different environment where people feel safe; you don’t always have to have alcohol to have a good time, especially for people who are newly sober.”
Morgan said the tavern is meant to be a place for safety, fun and inclusivity, and is aware of the space’s previous issues with law enforcement and code enforcement.
“Working closely with the city, fire department, health department, sheriff's department … we are committed to building a safe, enjoyable gathering place for everyone to relax and have a great time,” Morgan said.
“We're going to create a different dynamic, a different crowd, a different sense for the community that had been here before. I know that this has been a bar for about 50 years, with all different themes.”
Morgan said one key difference is they will be a non-smoking bar, and they will not be staying open past 2 a.m., which she said was a big concern from the community.
“We’re also going to have a specialty menu for mocktails for people that don’t drink alcohol, which I think is very important, and I think it’s something that the community needs,” Morgan said. “We’re working very hard on offering drinks that are a bit more specialty — so you still have that dive bar feel, but you can come in and have something different.”
One of their main goals, she said, is to provide a fun education to their patrons on the history of drinks — or as Morgan call it, “A voyage through history.”
“(We have) drinks inspired by centuries of maritime history, from grog and rum favored by pirates, to mead and ale enjoyed by Viking warriors,” Morgan said. “Our signature cocktails pay tribute to iconic figures of the sea, like the famed pirate Blackbeard, Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok, and legendary mermaids such as the Greek siren Parthenope and Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Mermaid.”
Morgan said they’ll also have drinks that show the history of Burning Man, and they want to cater more toward educated drinkers — or, even better, those who want to be educated on the history of their drinks.
A main goal of the tavern includes events, which is one of the reasons they expanded the business into what used to be a salon next door.
“Once we get that situated over there, we’re going to be doing karaoke, line dancing, yoga on Sundays,” Morgan said. “We want to be able to have catered events, private events, concerts — all of it.”
Saltwater Tavern should be opening next month; their permits are sorted, Morgan said, and they are currently waiting on approval through the fire department for occupancy.
After opening, they plan to have a large grand opening celebration along with a ribbon cutting from the mayor.
When opened, the tavern will be open Wednesday and Thursday from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. They will be closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Saltwater Tavern is located at 306 E William St. in Carson City. We’ll update with an opening date when it is announced.
