Story Photos
 Kessler's packs in the people to watch one fighter pummel another in round after round of cage fights. Bill Wagner / The Daily News
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It's a tale of two clubs on Commerce
Wednesday, November 5, 2008 11:38 PM PST
By Tom Paulu
Printable version
E-mail this articleOne’s a former pizza place that now serves up DJ music and cage matches. The other’s a one-time movie theater remade into a venue for classic rock bands. On a recent Saturday night, when both Commerce Avenue establishments were putting on special shows, young fighters at Kesler’s were a much bigger draw than aging rock musicians at Kennedy’s Night Club.
Kesler’s
Two years ago, Leo Kesler Jr. bought the building at the corner of Commerce and Hemlock that had previously been Roy’s Chuck Wagon and Pokey Joe’s Pizza.
Kesler’s son, Brandon, said his father was more interested in buying an empty lot near the building for his car business, but the former restaurant came with it.
Not that Leo Kesler is a novice in the local nightlife business. His father, also named Leo, managed the Longview Elks and the Hotel Monticello restaurants before starting his own eatery in Kelso.
“He’s run every club in town,” said Leo Kesler Jr., who grew up helping his father.
For the Commerce Avenue bar and grill, “we tried a lot of things before we found something that worked,” Kesler said.
Kesler’s features DJs on most Friday and Saturday nights. Thursdays, patrons can try to stay atop a mechanical bull.
“In this economy, you have to be ready to roll with the punches and work three times as hard for the same money,” Kesler said. For some people who appear at his business, rolling with the punches is literally true.
Every six weeks or so, Kesler’s features live, mixed martial arts cage fights. Employees push the pool table to the side of the room and set up a ring surrounded by cage made of chain-link fencing.
Brandon Kesler, 27, is the driving force behind the cage matches. Brandon Kesler himself competes in the mixed martial arts style, which includes punching, kicking and wrestling.
“He’s up on all the stuff,” his father said. “We try to get good clean fun.”
On a recent Saturday night, Kesler’s was packed for the 8 p.m. matches. Pay-per-view Ultimate Fighting Championship matches were broadcast on the 150-inch TVs until the live punching and kicking commenced.
“We get pretty much wall-to-wall people for the fights,” said Leo Kesler, who was checking IDs by the back door. The city parking lot behind the establishment was nearly full, unusual on nights when few downtown Longview businesses are open. Kesler said he hadn’t seen the lot that full since his father ran the now-closed Elks lodge down the street.
Mixed martial arts matches can be fought either in a ring with ropes, like a boxing ring, or with fighters confined inside a cage. what material is the cage made of? is it open at the top or closed?
“I’d rather be in a cage because I like to wrestle,” Brandon Kesler said. In a roped ring, the ref will break up the fighters if they get too close to the edge, he said. And with a cage, you can squeeze more customers closer to the action without worrying about a fighter ending up on the laps of front-row fans.
Matches run anywhere from 30 seconds to three full three-minute rounds. “It depends on how well-matched they are,” Leo Kesler said. Fighters can win by knockdowns, judges’ decision, if the opponent give up or if the referee stops the match.
The fighters come from around the state, though Brandon Kesler said many train at Premiere Martial Arts in Kelso. As amateurs, they don’t get paid for the bouts.
The referee, Wesley Welsh of Olympia, wore blue plastic medical gloves and stopped several fights when one fighter got atop another and pounded him relentlessly.
“We’ve never had a serious injury,” Brandon Kesler said, but black eyes and bloody scrapes are regular occurences.
He said mixed martial arts shouldn’t be confused with the “tough man” matches that were staged at the Expo Center until the state Legislature outlawed such matches. In those rumbles, anyone could sign up to fight -- and several fatalities occurred in tough man bouts around the country.
“Tough man was targeting people who knew nothing, the regular street fighters,” Brandon said. Nearly all mixed martial arts fighters have trained in schools.
The Keslers say they attract an older crowd for the fights than for their DJ scene, which gets going around 10.
Brandon said he occasionally books rock bands. “But people want DJs,” he said.
Fights and DJs seem to be recession-proof. ‘We’re picking up here,” Leo Kesler said, despite the economy.
“In a poor economy, people still like to drink,” his son added.
Kennedy’s Night Club
A block down Commerce Avenue from Kesler’s, Diane Kennedy wants to build a business where the over-30 crowd can come and listen to live, classic rock.
Kennedy, who has extensive experience managing rock clubs in the Seattle area, originally planned to stay in Longview for just a few months, caring for her ailing mother.
But earlier this year, she purchased what used to be the Roxy and Sky Bar. Years ago, the corner building housed the 1925 Roxy movie theater.
Kennedy set out to book bands here. So far, results have been disappointing.
One of the bigger names she’s brought in was Goldy McJohn & Friendz, a classic rock band that includes the original keyboards player from Steppenwolf.
Despite the star name, only about 40 people showed up Oct. 18 — the same night as the cage matches at Kesler’s — to hear “Magic Carpet Ride,” blues and other hits from the 70s.
Kennedy said other bars around town are doing well with classic rock bands. “The older crowd just doesn’t like Commerce.”
She’s bringing back Goldy and his Friendz on Saturday night in a special “Salute To Our Veterans” event. The show also includes Leon Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix’ little brother.
“I don’t want to focus on young people again,” as previous owners of the building did, Kennedy said, but she does plan to bring in DJs who spin clean hip-hop on Saturday nights.
Other nights of the week will feature karaoke, comedy, men’s and women’s nights with dancers and wet T-shirt contests, and UFC matches on TV.
“I’m trying to create an entertainment center that everyone will come to,” she said. “I’ve got to do something or I’ll end up closing.”
Calzaghe/Jones this weekend
On Saturday night, Kesler’s will feature a pay-per-view boxing match between light heavyweights Joe Calzaghe and Roy Jones shown on big-screen TVs. There’s no cover charge. The next mixed martial arts cage fights at Kesler’s are scheduled for mid-December.
Looking for something to do? Click here to check the Entertainment Calender.
blue eyes wrote on Nov 6, 2008 10:28 AM:
KT_32 wrote on Nov 6, 2008 11:05 AM:
Summit wrote on Nov 6, 2008 11:19 AM:
skibum wrote on Nov 6, 2008 12:25 PM:
Pinky wrote on Nov 6, 2008 1:19 PM:
Signed
Forever loyal south pacific original go go dancer!! "
Partyperson wrote on Nov 6, 2008 3:10 PM:
I am 24 and I go Kennedys all the time.
They are bringing in great entertainment. "
JMKelso wrote on Nov 6, 2008 4:15 PM:
Is that a joke?!??!? People beating each other up and trampily dressed waitresses? I don't think so! "
Partyperson wrote on Nov 6, 2008 4:54 PM:
What use to be the South Pacific and Sky Bar are no longer there. It is not due to the fact Kennedy's opened the place.
The building was closed for a year. Why is that?
Pinky. you say you are a loyal south pacific person. Well the previous Owners didnt make a go of it, why punish someone who is trying to re-establish the place.
It isnt Kennedy's fault the place closed.
Be glad someone is trying to make it work.
Kennedy's have never tried to compete with the other establishments around here,
They are trying to make an entertainment club that people will go to, to see good acts, comedy, dinner and shows.
The food is fine there, and the staff is great, unless you want to fight or do drugs, then they get rude.
I like a place I can go and have fun and not have to worry about someone trying to sell me drugs, or people fighting. They dont allow it.
And you are ask to leave. No exceptions.
Give the place a chance, at least it is back open, with good quality entertainment
LL "
Lady wrote on Nov 6, 2008 5:45 PM:
day2day wrote on Nov 6, 2008 11:04 PM:
I have never even heard of Kennedy's. Why is that? "
dogshead wrote on Nov 7, 2008 9:33 AM:
olderperson wrote on Nov 7, 2008 4:07 PM:
I would rather watch rock stars performng than cage fighting, unless the cage fighting was big time fighters. Kennedy's appears to bringing in some entertainment that is good old fashion Rock n Roll !!! with real rock stars, the media should really be promoting it big time !! "
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