Pre-Flite lands at new digs

Pre-Flite 2.0: The 42-year-old Pre-Flite Lounge was beloved for its unpretentious atmosphere, cheap drinks, historical value and truly bizarre decorative elements. The bar inside K Street Mall’s parking garage—its name comes from the days travelers would enjoy a beverage while waiting for the airport shuttle—closed in April in anticipation of arena construction.

But Pre-Flite lives on, and the second iteration held its soft opening last Wednesday at 1011 10th Street, a basement spot that was once an old bank vault. Find the entrance in graffitied Jazz Alley between J and K streets—there’s no sign to help you.

Owner Jason Yee brought over a bunch of artifacts from the old Pre-Flite, including the stewardess mannequin, odd lamp affixed with origami cranes, posters, signs and, best of all, the former entrance doors. You know, the ones that state happy hour is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and everything costs 65 cents.

The new space definitely feels less musty, but stays true to that no-frills, tucked-away, somewhat janky vibe—dim lights, one long bar, tall cans of Pabst for $2.50 and a neon jukebox.

Yee isn’t sure what he’ll do for the grand opening celebration yet, but in the meantime, find Pre-Flite open daily starting at 4 p.m.

Temple 5.0: Temple Coffee continues to expand. Last week, the Sacramento Business Journal reported that Temple will open at 2200 K Street in what was once a jewelry store. It’ll be Temple’s third location on the grid, and excluding patio space, it’ll also be its largest. Temple also has a cafe on Fair Oaks Boulevard.

Across the Causeway, Temple recently began hiring for its downtown Davis spot (239 G Street). According to a Craigslist ad, Temple plans to open in mid-summer, to work out kinks before students fill up town again.

Classy Hippie 3.0: Leo Hickman’s Classy Hippie Cafe, originally in his holistic health center, then in the Midtown Collective on P Street, will soon move into the Grange Performing Arts Center (3823 V Street) in Oak Park.

Apart from the precious name, the cafe offered a wide selection of carefully brewed loose-leaf teas, often selected by Hickman based on the customer’s feelings. Hippie, ya dig?

Despite living inside the Grange, Classy Hippie—hopefully open by March 1—will operate as a stand-alone cafe with about 20 seats for tea-fueled relaxation.