Sunday, December 3, 2023
By Maggie Miles | Outer Banks Voice on November 10, 2023
Mark Ballog has owned Lucky 12 Tavern in Nags Head since 2006, but he has been working in Outer Banks restaurants ever since 1991. Every year, he watched as the sandbar went from a bustling vacation destination in the summer with hundreds of thousands of tourists waiting in line at restaurants to the dark, quiet winter months when restaurants are lucky to get enough customers to get through until the busy season starts again.
Historically, for restaurant workers on the Outer Banks, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas break can be glum. “You’re just watching your staff’s hours get cut, you’re closing early, your servers and bartenders aren’t making any money, your kitchen folks, your managers, like everybody’s just getting by,” said Ballog.
That’s changing now with an idea that has grown to include 12 different Dare County restaurants and bars now plunging headfirst into Christmas spirit—from the décor and decorations to the food and drink. Not only will the 12 Bars of Christmas liven up a dark and quiet time of year on the Outer Banks, it could evolve into a real “shoulder season” attraction.
It began back in 2018 when Ballog went to Nashville and heard about some Christmas pop-up bars that had been surfacing around the city. He didn’t know what a Christmas pop-up bar was, but he found one. It was a bar in a hotel that had completely transformed itself into a Christmas wonderland—with a new name, a new interior filled with Christmas decor and a completely Christmas-themed menu with Christmas-themed cocktails and food.
“I walked in, and I was like, ‘This is unbelievable,’” recalled Ballog. I said, ‘I’m doing this next year.’ It just took my breath away.”
An antique collector, he spent the next year gathering all the vintage Christmas decor he could find. He asked his mom. He asked his friend’s parents. He posted on Facebook and Instagram and Craigslist. He went to yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores. His staff came up with a completely new menu filled with fun Christmas-themed cocktails with notes of candy cane and gingerbread. And in December of 2019, Jingle 12 was born.
Jingle 12 really worked, with sales for the month of December skyrocketing by 90% and his restaurant staff taking home tips rivaling the summer months. The community was also ecstatic about it. In 2020, he put two igloos, a ski lodge, and an ice fishing shed in the backyard that private groups could reserve. It was the perfect way people get out and do something during the holidays while social distancing, adding another level of comfort during the holidays during the COVID pandemic.
“People were really excited about it,” said Ballog. “There’s a lot of people here that don’t really have any families and stuff because a lot of people move here and, you know, December is not a very fun time for a lot of people if you don’t have a significant other or really close friends or family around. So, I mean, I think it kind of filled that void. And there is such a thing as spreading Christmas cheer…you know.”
Ballog thought if his restaurant was experiencing this kind of success, other local restaurants should be able to do the same. He started reaching out to fellow bar and restaurant owners, and last year more three establishments joined in. Bonzer Shack became The Broken Candy Cane, Goombay’s Grille and Raw Bar became Goombrrrs, and Mama Kwan’s Tiki Bar and Grill became Mama Klaus’s.
This year, they are going all out with 12 different bars joining from across the Outer Banks, with the addition of Outer Banks Distilling (Deck the Hulls), Jolly Roger Restaurant (Holly Jolly Christmas), Jack Browns Beer and Burger Joint (Jack Frost’s), Two Roads Tavern (McCallister’s Corner), Poor Richard’s Sandwich Shop (Poor Rudolph’s), Blue Crab Tavern (Sandy Claws), The Brewing Station (Christmas Vacation Station), and Blue Water Grill (Aww Shucks).
During the season, each business will completely transform into its own Christmas theme, with special events for all ages throughout the month, including holiday markets, kids’ crafts workshops, ugly sweater and adult gingerbread house contests, toy drives, Christmas karaoke, and more. Ballog created a presentation he gave to each owner, showing the financial investment involved and a step-by-step guide for everything they need to know to transform every aspect of their bar and restaurant. He’s been holding monthly meetings all year to get everyone prepared.
The 12 bars have also partnered up with OBX Party Bus to give VIP tours from place to place to with sign-ups available on their websites. There will also be a passport, available at each for purchase, where you can get a passport stamp at each location. Passports are $5 and each Christmas bar is picking a local charity to donate the money to.
“This whole place is gonna be like a Christmas Island,” said Todd Levy, Bar Manager and Head Elf at Jingle 12, “And it’s gonna be great for everybody…rentals will go up, we’ll make money. You know, this will kind of be a destination to come to like the Outer Banks as a whole with all this Christmas stuff.”
Levy has been working at Lucky 12 since before Jingle 12 started and was part of the staff that Ballog wanted to help bring in business for that original year. He says he’s definitely felt that impact personally.
“With December normally being quiet and slow, to go to doing July numbers and making that type of money – it’s definitely, you know, impacted it, and we…crushed it,” Levy said. “The top five busiest days in 2022, four of them were in December.”
Tony Sipe was a bartender at Goombay’s for 12 years before purchasing it with Chris Miller in March of this year. Sipe was one of the guest celebrity bartenders that Jingle 12 has brought in over the years. Last year, he was the bartender at Goombay’s when they transformed to Goombrrrs, with a North Pole theme, their logo being an old school yeti sitting on an iceberg sipping a drink, with lots of blue and white lights and a heavy focus on dining as well as the bar.
This year will be Sipe’s first year as an owner, running the show with Miller. He says what he really loved about doing it last year was the camaraderie and fun it brings for the network of restaurants, driving to Virginia together to get decorations and coming up with fun ideas together.
“It’s like a renewal of energy,” said Sipe, explaining that Ballog wanted everyone to be successful, so he was eager to help and encourage them. “It was just really, really, fun man, just like everyone kind of coming together with different ideas and decorating and things like that. It was just fun. That’s the best way to describe it.”
Scott Smith, owner of Outer Banks Distilling, is one of three spots in downtown Manteo that will be joining the fun. It will be transformed into Deck the Hulls pop-up with a traditional Roanoke Island Christmas theme, featuring nautical heritage and will be releasing specialty rums throughout the month.
“I was flattered they reached out to us to be a part of it. You know, we try to work with them every year pushing cocktails with our rum and now that we can have the bar here over in our distillery, it just made perfect sense to be a part of it to try to spread some over here to Roanoke Island,” said Smith. “I think it’s really good for the whole Outer Banks to really give people a reason to come here.”
According to Lee Nettles, executive director at the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, the Bureau has been present at the monthly planning meetings and plans to add it to a larger program of Outer Banks Christmas events they are bundling together at obxmas.org.
“And certainly 12 Bars is something that we’re happy to add to that list. And we think it’ll be real appealing,” offered Nettles. “I think it’s bound to have a positive impact on visitation in December. We’ll just have to see what the extent of it is. But I certainly think it’ll add to the overall appeal and charm of the area for the holidays for sure.”
Visit the 12 Bars of Christmas website for a listing of events.
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Topic: Dare EMS – Phase 2 Pre-Bid Conference
Time: Dec 6, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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Comments
Go to comments
Bob
As a local this doesn’t sound like a good idea. In the past we enjoyed the downtime of the fall winter months and over the years that has gotten less with event after event throughout the year. We don’t need more traffic on a infrastructure during Thanksgiving and Xmas as enough exists already. Please stop with this business model as the beaches are not enjoyable not much is really happening but lets bring partygoers here to spend money. This is a recipe for disaster with our infrastructure already taxed.
Charles
Late wife and I used to visit OBX for Thanksgiving week with some regularity, even having friends join us from time to time. A large part of its charm for us was the quietness and lack of crowds. Wish all much success in the Christmas venture.
Betty Lou
Who are the idiots on the article picture, with the vile, sexually suggestive shirts? Shame on you for posting that.
Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
Bah Humbug, Betty Lou.
Broken down local HVAC
Sorry,
been living, working, getting into debt trying to live here working on AC systems for the last 20 years.
I always enjoyed the beach after Thanksgiving, till about the end of Feb when it started getting warm. Tourists left, the traffic was manageable, could catch up work.
I don’t need anymore “shoulder season” festivities.
Good restaurants and bars have no problem slamming it in the “on season”. Have a good product, good service, turn your seating three times a night. They shut down with all the staff having enough money in their pockets to last for a few months.
Re
This is a wonderful event and we and the kids enjoyed it last year. Looking forward to this years event.
Steven
Essentially promoting intoxication and promoting traveling around while intoxicated, that’s a new one.
Folks will turn this into challenges such as one shot at each bar.
Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
I know that complaining and criticizing things generally comprises a significant percentage of the comments on this page. But I am pretty surprised by the level of negativity toward this idea.
Bobby
We have really lost the meaning of Christmas. Sad.
Bz
12 thumbs down.
MM
What a bunch of scrooges. Maybe y’all can all get together and find some happiness with each other. For everyone else we thank the businesses that are continuing to employ people throughout the year and make it fun and festive for the holidays. Thank everyone involved and happy holidays! Can’t wait to have some Christmas fun and cocktails
Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
Well said.,
Liz
I agree with Mark. The level of negativity in these comments is sad.
If you pay attention to the whole idea, it’s not actually “bars.” Almost all the places involved are a restaurant with a bar. Totally normal, although calling it the Twelve Bars of Christmas is frankly, a bit jarring. But if a person reads the article thoroughly, they will will realize the event does not promote bar-hopping, drinking games, or general drunkenness, etc. It appears to be a fun event with lots of family-friendly activities. Did anyone of the naysayers notice “holiday markets, kids’ crafts workshops, ugly sweater and adult gingerbread house contests, toy drives, Christmas karaoke?”
And about those “vile, sexually suggestive shirts.” Please! Maybe it takes a dirty mind to think that. Yes Betty Lou, Bah Humbug.
Louise
Betty Lou, you need to get a grip. Someone is always taking the fun out of things and turning into negativity. Shame shame
Denise
I think folks are merely saying let’s pump the brakes, take a step back & avoid taking that corner so fast that there is no way out. What makes the OBX such an enigma is worth preserving, even if it lessens monetary wealth. I love this little Island, but I think it is bursting at the seams. ‘Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it’
Luminous
This local very much enjoyed visiting four of the participating restaurant/bars in 2022. The special themed decor, menu, and staff costumes each place came up with made it a lot of fun. At least at lunch, places were doing good business for early and mid-December but did not have waits for tables or service. Will definitely return this year and recommend readers give it a shot; it’s more fun than touristy. If the holiday theme is not for you, there are still plenty of other restaurants you can patronize.
Heather
Awesome idea!Look forward to the new additions.Have not noticed any heavy traffic or detrimental conditions .All love and fun.Much needed in the offseason……
Annie
Bah Humbug Berry Lou!!!
Bring it on 12 Bars Of Christmas, sounds like a lot of fun for the whole family to enjoy.
Love the comment Mark so I used it again!
Larry
It’s one month, not the whole winter. You guys still have January, February and most of March to sit your in your dark, sad and lonely life’s.
If you don’t like it just stay inside. No one is making you go to these places. You most likely won’t even notice a change around here. It’s not like it’s going to be some crazy influx and all of the sudden there is crazy drunks and mobs running a muck around town.
Broken down HVAC guy, these are very successful restaurants that want to stay successful. Most of them have been around for more than 20yrs. Sounds like your business needs some help if you’ve been in debt for 20yrs.
megan
as someone who grew up on the outer banks from elementary school to mid twenties, i’m so happy to see there being fun options for off season besides JUST sitting at a bar. feeling extremely proud to see business owners and staff that i call friends and family having innovative ideas and their businesses flourishing. can’t wait to visit when i return home for the holidays.
Arthur
Jesus H Christ on a stick – listening to these dolts complain about businesses trying to make money and keep their staff working is a great thing. i met Mark at lucky 12 this summer when i went in for Christmas in July and loved it! I wish i could make it back down for this after thanksgiving but cant. what a great and fun festive treat for the locals there to celebrate and if more want to travel to enjoy it than the more the merrier. and this isnt a obx only thing. cities all country do it with pop up christmas bars and decorations. its called marketing and festivities. Its a good thing the obx is full of fun people in the summer cause it sure seems like the locals (according to these comments) are mostly miserable aholes
Liz
Denise says, “let’s pump the brakes, take a step back & avoid taking that corner so fast that there is no way out.” And, our little island is “bursting at the seams.” Whaaaat? We’re talking about a winter-brightening event in December. The “way out” is if businesses decide not to participate. It’s not like they’re locked in to a ten-year contract. It’s not like they built a new building just for the 12 Bars of Christmas. Sheesh!
The “bursting at the seams” is for other reasons entirely. We all know what they are. They’re in plain sight. Unfortunately, that horse left the barn a long time ago. I’d sure like to know the way out from that.
Broken down HVAC guy
@ Larry
My business plan is just fine. I quit working on restaurant problems 3 years ago, for a multitude of reasons. I will always have the restaurant industry in mind when it comes to the OBX. Worked on it for 20 years.
Jane complaining about sewage while cooking. AJ’s needing a repipe in January. Bob putting a gun in his mouth. Repiping Jane’s Frisco place twice in January. Pulling Briggs tank from the dune. Fishing Todd’s tanks out of the sound when it just rained. Dan, well there’s about three of ’em. Can go on and on.
What I said in my comment was those restaurants need a break for their staff. All successful restaurants put their staff first. If you don’t have staff you don’t have a “restaurant”.
Having 12 bars of Xmas, while novel, will NOT pay your employees. Just because your on the beach road does not mean you will be profitable.
You want to see a profitable restaurant on the beach road?
Food Dudes
10 o 6
Deli @ stop and shop
That’s a 20 year business plan to follow, low overhead, profitable.