Piccadilly Lounge R.I.P.

For the past few years, indy comics' home away from home at the annual San Diego Comic-con has been the Piccadilly Lounge, tucked inside the Pickwick Arms Hotel, a safe mile distance from such establishments as Dick's Last Resort and overpriced hotel bars. Just our speed, the Piccadilly was a small, humble bar with very cheap beer, I believe a pint of the Piccadilly Ale cost $2. It was a block away from the Greyhound Station, near the San Diego Jail and lots of 24-hour bail bond centers. Legend has it that a Mr. Brian Ralph stumbled across the bar a few years ago, and since then, the annual (Black Eye? Highwater? Fanta?) beach party met its demise with the rising popularity of the Piccadilly. In fact in 2006, there was no beach party, and almost every cartoonist was in attendance at the Piccadilly including Hernandez, Clowes, Tomine, Millionaire, Crane, Weissman, Huizenga, Nilsen, Davis, Zettwoch, and more. Here are a few pictures from this summer, keep in mind, Tom still needs to figure out the nighttime setting on our camera. If anyone knows of a good quiet dive bar in San Diego, let us know. It seems as if the Piccadilly and the Pickwick have morphed into a "boutique" hotel.

**Correction, my good pal Eric Reynolds points out that Jim Blanchard stumbled upon the Piccadilly a good ten years ago when staying at the Pickwick. In fact, I think that is Eric with a backpack in the second picture below.