The vibrant yet old-world bar, set in a historic building from the late 1800s, has done an amazing thing by enduring 30 years in an industry rife with ups and downs. Particularly as a purveyor of European draughts in the middle of a city known for its rodeo roots and honky-tonkiness.
But from the get-go, there was a thirst for this type of bar. Founder "Captain” Keith Schlabs, 57, has been working in the restaurant business since he "was old enough to work." He remembers a line around the corner on the day they opened.
"When we opened in '95, there was a lot of interest in European beer, and mostly it was people who traveled abroad, whether it was work, military or for fun," says Schlabs. "And they would find a beer, and they would ask for us to find it for them, or were excited that we had it."
Imports were big back then, and years later, the national craft beer scene got hopping, followed by local craft beers in the 2010s. Schlabs and his team, who are always tweaking the beer menu, would adapt to these changes, something he attributes to keeping them busy all these years.
The High Flying UFO Club
In addition to the vast menu and great bar food, the Flying Saucer is well known for its clever customer loyalty program: the UFO club, which has some 200,000 members nationwide. The goal is to try as many different beers as you can over time. The high flyers who try 200 beers get their name on a brass plate in the ring of honor. "It came to me at midnight," Schlabs says of the idea for the UFO Club. "I was writing the first menu thinking how I would get people to drink all these different beers that we can't even pronounce, like Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel."
He had the idea of making it a competition: drink a certain number of beers, and you'll get something special.
Schlabs says a typical Flying Saucer (there are more than a dozen nationwide) has several plate parties a week, during which the member's plate is hung in the bar.
The Secret to 30 Years in the Bar Business
We often write about restaurants and bars that close, many of them great (although not all). Considering 30 years is the equivalent of 100 years in the service industry, we asked Schlabs the secret to enduring. "I never thought that we would not endure. We've always seemed to grow, and maybe the concept was a little bulletproof during hard times (...) people would spend money on craft beer, and it is not terribly expensive," he says.
Schlabs also says being in a good neighborhood certainly helped; Sundance Square has stayed relevant and busy over the past three decades. When asked if luck plays any part in it, Schlabs thought about it for a moment, then said yes.
"Luck with your landlord, luck with hiring the right people, having breweries latch onto us and care about what we're doing," he says.
All that luck, along with hard work, comes to full fruition this Saturday, June 7; The Flying Saucer is holding a big birthday bash with live music on the 8.0 stage, special tappings, raffles and, as always, a great selection of craft beer.
Admission is free ahead of time with an RSVP through Eventbrite, or $10 at the door. In addition to the regular kitchen at the Flying Saucer, they'll have food from sister concepts Flying Fish and Rodeo Goat from 4 to 8 p.m.
At 6:15 p.m., Atlantis Aquaria will take the stage, followed by a panel of beer experts, including Schlab and Brad Farbstein from Real Ale Brewing. Oklahoma band The Dman Quails will take center stage at 8:30 p.m.
