The Press Club celebrated its first “Pressiversary” Tuesday with a show featuring local groups Shenanagram, Charlie Brown Superstar and The Dividends. Owner James Fox organized the event to celebrate The Press Club’s first year as a business.

“It’s had its ups and downs like anything but I’m real happy going into this ‘Pressaversiary’ because I’ve really turned things around and we have things working real well here,” Fox said.
When it first opened, The Press Club was not originally meant to be somewhere for musicians, comedians and artists together, but since the first show, Fox said he and his staff knew there was something more to the restaurant than just paninis.

The Press Club has evolved to the point where Fox and employees like Jacob Lambert are constantly planning the next event, menu item or renovation for the restaurant to continue to grow and help foster community involvement. Right now, bands, comedians and others showcasing their work stand in front of a window looking out onto Fourth Avenue.

“We’re thinking about taking out these tables out front and building an actual stage so we can facilitate a bigger band and turn this place into a bigger venue,” Lambert said.

Lambert is a jack-of-all trades at The Press Club; he is a server, works in the kitchen and even performs there from time to time.

Other employees are highly active in the process of hosting a Press Club event. For example, employees Tyler Cooper and Heath Holley are responsible for booking the majority of bands that perform in the restaurant.

Fox said The Press Club is going to continue to offer different activities for citizens in the hopes of providing something other than just another place to eat. Fox’s girlfriend Misty Belville, who also works in the restaurant, said every employee is adamant that their work can help give back the community in some way.

“So much of what we do is based off of the community,” Belville said. “We have their art hanging on our walls, we’re playing their music. Their talents are basically what we thrive on. Without that you’re just another restaurant.”

As part of the “Pressiversiary,” The Press Club’s kitchen is rolling out a new menu in addition to the existing one. This new menu consists of The Press Club’s take on the classic hamburger as well as several variations.

“It’s nice to have a job where we can encourage people to be creative,” Fox said. “You get to go to work and be creative in some aspect, you’re not just sitting behind a desk or typing on a computer and I think that’s a big part of what makes Press Club fun.”

Aside from music and comedy, patrons can expect to see more film events at The Press Club during their second year of business. The Press Club’s first “Bad Movie Night,” set for Sept. 2, will feature Troll 2, a cult classic movie about a family and their trip to the mysterious Nilbog. Above all, Fox said people can expect the same inclusive, chill environment The Press Club has always offered.

“People come in and they’re comfortable,” Fox said. “That’s the vibe we give. People can come in and talk to whoever they’d like.”

“So much of what we do is based off of the community,” Belville said. “We have their art hanging on our walls, we’re playing their music. Their talents are basically what we thrive on. Without that you’re just another restaurant.”

As part of the “Pressiversiary,” The Press Club’s kitchen is rolled out a new menu in addition to the existing one. This new menu consists of The Press Club’s take on the classic hamburger as well as several variations.

Will Izzo can be contacted at [email protected].