BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – Hilligans is a bar located at the bottom of a hill near the campus of Western Kentucky University and has become a popular hangout in the area, especially for college students who are of legal drinking age.
This year they celebrate their 14th anniversary and give students a nostalgic experience.
“It’s kind of cool to watch people celebrate their 21st birthdays,” says Hilligans manager Ashley Bland. “You see them walking down the street and making comments like, ‘I can’t wait to get there,’ and then when they finally get here, it’s so cute when they come in and have their picture taken in front of the clock or outside with the security guard while they check their ID.”
For more than a decade, the staff at Hilligans have seen students come and go from their bar, many of them returning years after graduating to relive their teenage years.
“When they graduate from college and then start their careers and move away and start families, they want to come back here and relive the memories of their life at 21 or 22. And because they’re here every weekend or a few days a week and have so many memories with different friends and different things to do, they just come back,” Bland said.
Over the years, the bar has undergone several changes as the clientele has changed. They have added outdoor areas such as the volleyball court, expanded their front deck, and recently also introduced a pizza contest for those who dare.
“We started the pizza challenge about a month ago. It’s two people. They have 30 minutes to complete a 30-inch pizza. So far only one group has done it,” she said.
While the official anniversary is today, the Hilligans will hold their official celebration on Saturday, August 9th.
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