West Seventh street’s latest addition to nightlife is off to a popular start.
Varsity Tavern, which opened late in 2015, has crowds waiting in line to get in on most weekend nights. It averages 900-1,100 guests Thursday through Saturday nights, according to manager James Reagan.
“People say that they feel like they need to go to Uptown Dallas to party and we are trying to change that,” Reagan said. “Our goal is to get people to go out in Fort Worth and make the bar scene here a success.”
One surrounding establishment said Varsity has been good for business.
Landmark Bar & Kitchen is across the street from Varsity and has been open for a year and eight months.
“Our business has actually increased since the opening of the newer bars,” said Landmark manager Sam Sameni. “We are up 39 percent over last January.”
Sameni said that the new bars help make the area more established as a party destination and that brings more people to the area.  Sameni said that healthy competition is good among the bar scene.
Varsity is a 14,000 square foot bar that has multiple screens, a jumbo tron, a DJ booth and a glow in the dark club room. It is one of the larger bars in Fort Worth.

 
“Varsity is just amazing,” said senior strategic communication major Taylor Gilroy. “It is huge compared to the other bars we have with an overall good atmosphere and fun vibes.”
Varsity has a two-pronged strategy, Reagan said.
“We have a really sporty environment during the day and I credit our nightlife success to DJ Wiki,” he said. Reagan added that the club groomed DJ Wiki for a year.
Varsity Tavern has two other locations in Houston and Dallas, but Reagan said they have been looking at Fort Worth for awhile.
Reagan said their company is already bringing two more establishments to Fort Worth. American Pub will be another bar with a nightclub popping up as well.