What’s the name of that place again?

There’s a very fun, unique little venue hidden in what was once the original pea cannery in, naturally, Bozeman’s Cannery district. It boasts an unusual menu of small plates and cocktails, and its distinctive décor alone – late sixties/early seventies – makes it unlike any other place in town. But it’s the name, It Will Always Be That Way, that stands out the most.

Feeling a bit like I’d fallen into the set of Laugh-In or the Monkees TV series (or an Austin Powers movie, if you’re young and have no idea what those shows are), I recently sat down with owner Chris Burgard, who also owns Devil’s Toboggan. Amongst the vintage TV trays, lunch boxes, lava lamps, beige and orange chairs and light fixtures, I enjoyed learning more about how this groovy night spot was established. 

Katie Thomas: Tell us about the name.

Chris Burgard: I’m a big fan of names that really make little or no sense to the public, because that keeps them talking. When they can’t remember it, they ask their friends, what’s the name of that bar again? I’d rather they get it wrong or not be able to remember, because they’re going to talk to people to try to figure it out. We’ve kind of shortened it to That Way Bar internally, because It Will Always Be That Way is kind of lengthy. Some customers call it that too; folks tend to abbreviate.

KT: How was IWABTW conceptualized?

CB: After opening Devil’s Toboggan, I also had this space, and I wanted to do something entirely different in terms of vibe. So we went for kind of a late sixties, early seventies, sexy hippie vibe, mixed with your grandma’s basement… or your mom’s; depends on how old you are.

KT: What would you like people to experience when they walk through your doors?

CB: Well, I want them to have fun. You can go anywhere to eat or drink, so I want them to remember us. Come in, have something to eat, something to drink, and have a good time. For us it’s not just what we do, it’s also how we make people feel. So we try to keep it professional, consistent, mature – but that doesn’t mean we can’t also be fun and exciting. 

KT: What would you say makes IWABTW unique in the Bozeman food scene?

CB: Well, to be clear, we are a bar with food. So our food is somewhat limited, and it’s partly because our kitchen is tiny. But hopefully, our menu is slightly unpredictable. We have a banana split. We have a grilled cheese with tomato soup. We have pigs in a blanket, made with Little Smokies and spam – that’s right out of the seventies. We think the whimsical, relatively small menu is just fun and easy.

KT: What menu item do regulars keep coming back for?

CB: I would say the bruschetta; either that or the grilled cheese. It’s the most prominent item on the menu, but it’s also the biggest seller. And none of our food is deep-fried, by the way. We don’t even have a deep fryer, and bar food generally is always fried food.

KT: Do you personally have a favorite menu item?

CB: I love the bruschetta, too. And, the pigs in the blanket. I mean, I ate stuff like that as a kid.

KT: What do you enjoy most about being part of the Bozeman community?

CB: You know, my dad taught us that you pick a town, you dig your heels in, and you establish a family name and a reputation. So that’s what I did; that’s what I was taught. My family moved here from North Dakota in mid-April in 1965. And so we respect our community and our neighbors and our family name, and that means something to us. We love Bozeman. It’s a wonderful place. It’s going to continue to grow; it’s going to have its challenges. But it’s still a great place to own and operate businesses, because it’s a vibrant community.

KT: Do you have any special events coming up?

CB: On Tuesday nights we do trivia, and that is huge. It’s a sellout every Tuesday generally; people reserve tables for it. It goes from 6 p.m. to 9:30 or so. We give away prizes; it’s geared to all age groups and it’s a lot of fun. And then on Wednesday we have music bingo, which is pretty much what it sounds like – we have someone play little clips of songs, you get a bingo card, you stamp it when it’s got the names of the songs – and that music can run anywhere from the sixties to current-day stuff.

CB: What’s the best way for people to follow your events?

AS: Instagram’s the best way. We don’t really advertise; it’s mostly just been word-of-mouth. If people love something, they tell their friends, and then they come back.

KT: Anything else you’d like readers to know about IWABTW?

CB: We have eight seats of patio seating out front, weather permitting. Kids are welcome here. And we have a board and bottle special: $30 gets you any bottle of wine and one bruschetta board, the retail value of which is upwards of $65. That runs Sunday through Tuesday, 6 to 10 p.m. Mainly, I want folks to know that we pride ourselves on being very consistent, we treat our guests with respect, and it’s a safe, comfortable environment.

Burgard is right about that – not only is it comfortable and consistent, but IWABTW is a nice contrast to the Main Street bar scene: your ears won’t fall off from the noise level, and there will be no brawling or last-night’s mess from someone’s overserved tummy. For locals, it’s an extra kick knowing that the land on which this funky place sits was once thought of as the pretty grungy side of the tracks. But no more – today you can enjoy an elevated atmosphere with amazing cocktails here off of Oak Street. And, it’s so homey inside that you’ll swear there’s a foosball table and spin-the-bottle happening in the next room. Grandma’s basement has never been so entertaining.