by Dorothy Puch Lillig

 It has been known as Mickey’s Lounge and later Robbie’s. Recently, you may have noticed a new name — Might as Well Lounge and Boozenasium — over the door at 8518 Long Point Rd. in the Spring Branch District.

Drop in and you will immediately feel a retro vibe — from the “upcycled” carpet to the juke box to the furnishings. And yet, while the space has been a bar since the 1960s, Might as Well has a modern, updated feel.

We asked the owners a few questions about one of the District’s newest (well, new again) watering holes:

You opened under new ownership in June? 

Correct! We opened June 6 this year. We took over the lease on March 1 and spent a few months giving the bar a fresh look. We kept the carpet from Robbie’s and have been told that it was upcycled from the River Oaks Theatre

How many owners are there?

There are six owners, or three couples. All with strong experience in the Houston bar/beer scene:

• Camella Clements (Lil’ Danny Speedo’s Go Fly A Kite Lounge) and Brad Moore (Lil’ Danny Speedo’s, Big Star Bar, Grand Prize, OKRA Charity Saloon, Lei Low and Bad News Bar)
• Erik Bogle and Jill Brumer (Houston Watch Co.)
• Joel and Heather Swift (Eureka Heights Brewing Company)

What kind of bar are you wanting to provide to the neighborhood? 

We want a casual, friendly place where people feel comfortable relaxing with friends and neighbors. A great neighborhood bar should be a place where everyone feels welcome, relaxed and safe. Some great tunes on the juke box, a game of pool or fun movie on the TV if you want to watch, or a conversation with a friend, neighbor, or the bartender when you’re feeling social.

I understand the bar used to be Robbie’s and, before that, Mickey’s?

From what we hear from our patrons who have come through to tell us the story, the bar opened sometime in the 1960s as Mickey’s Lounge. Mickey was a golfer and used to hold high-stakes poker games in the bar with professional golfers and other various professional athletes, as well as some of the regulars. Mickey sold the bar to Robbie Galloway around 1984, and she renamed it Robbie’s Lounge. Robbie owned and operated the bar until she passed away in October of 2017. Robbie’s daughter, Lesa Morris, ran the bar for a while, and worked with us on the transition. There is a picture of Robbie above the bar. She’s always looking over us.

How did you come to own Might as Well?

Robbie lived across the street from Heather and Joel Swift. When she passed we knew her children (Lesa and John) were looking to pass the bar along to a new owner. It so happened that the lease and liquor license were expiring soon, so we coordinated with the landlord to take the space over when they were ready to give it up.

Why the name, “Might as Well?” 

We felt like it portrayed the laid-back vibe we were trying to achieve pretty well. We wanted people in the neighborhood to have the idea that it is a casual place. Want to go to Happy Hour? Want to go watch the game? Want to shoot some pool? Want to put off mowing the lawn for a couple of hours? Might as Well!

Why Spring Branch?

Spring Branch is such a great neighborhood. We believe it is on its way to being the new Heights or Oak Forest. It already has an amazing food scene with some of the city’s best Thai, authentic Mexican, Portuguese, Korean, Vietnamese and Argentinean cuisines. With all the new affordable residential development more people in their 20s and 30s are moving into the area, and we saw the need for a comfortable neighborhood bar where there’s a little something for everyone: a good Old Fashioned, a glass of bubbly, a craft beer, frozen margarita or a bottle of Bud Light. We also learned that the Spring Branch Management District has a vision for the neighborhood and for Long Point. That was a big selling point for us, too.

Might as Well Lounge and Boozenasium
8518 Long Point Rd.
Houston, Texas 77055
(713) 485-3736
https://www.facebook.com/mightaswellloungeandboozenasium/ 

Might as Well Lounge and Boozenasium is open every day at 4 p.m. From Sunday to Thursday, they close at midnight. Friday and Saturday, they are open until 2 a.m. Also on Friday and Saturday nights, the bar has hot dogs and snacks available for free. Wednesday is “steak night” with a $22 steak with two sides and bread on offer starting at 6:30 p.m. until they’re gone. Sundays, the lounge opens at 11:30 a.m. for football with all-day happy hour and monster beef and fajita tacos. With two TVs, the lounge always shows the Astros, Rockets and Texans games.

Might as Well