This is the story of how a chance encounter led to opening one little bar and how that little bar led to millions of happy customers
Geoff Dawson is no stranger to Washington D.C. Born and raised in the heart of the Nation’s Capital, Geoff has designed, built and operated 40 nightlife spots during the past 30+ years. He mixes equal parts passion and creativity with a love for his hometown, while imagining and developing some great neighborhood hangouts. But none of this could have been accomplished without hundreds of talented, creative partners along the way.
a 7-table pool hall started in the basement of theapartment building Meg and I lived in.
Small 6 pool table bar in Cleveland Park. Was once The Far Inn where I played pinball as a 10 year old..
Originally had 31 tables, two bars and two private rooms for paries. Our first giant venue.
Former Rambler Select car dealership in suburban Ballston, Virginiaty. This a home run!
Located in an old grainery along the railroad tracks in Gaithersburg, Maryland. But this one never took off.
A massive bar located in DC’s MCI Center when it first opened. Lasted less than a year.
Our bartender partners Robert Thompson and Leigh Jones opened this one with us. Stunning!
Cocktail & Cigar Bar in Cleveland Park DC. Formerly The Roma Restaurant. Turned into Ripple in 2010.
Robert Thompson and Leigh Jones again partnered with us to open this Austin, Texas gem.
Opened with former employees Shay Rourke and Rich Mackey. It was a downtown staple for decades.
Great bar, bad location yet it endures 20+ years later. Now owned and run by partner Curt Large.
We signed on to manage this plain-jane pool hall and made it cool. Never got big.
Awesome buildout in Old City, Philadelphia. What would Ben Franklin think of this great bar?
Another beautiful Travis Smith design project. Now run by Curt Large with a new beer garden.
The second Mackey’s Pub just never caught on in Crystal City, Virginia. No nightlife traffic.
Epic neighborhood pub in Cleveland Park, DC. Formerly Gallagher's Pub (where I drank first beers).
Like many before us, we thought we could win in Baltimore. We lost it all in two years.
While Bedrock Baltimore was failing, RocketBar soared along with the CAPStronaut.
Restaurant-bar that was a dud. Previously Corduroy restaurant. Four years of struggling—didn’t work.
One of my favorites. Old motorcycles hanging from the rafters, great design, dark basement bar.
Mackey & Rourke partnership at Reeves Bakery across from where my grandmother wed.
My childhood buddy, Roger Marmet, joined to open this fabulous fine dining restaurant.
We tried our hand at comedy, but apparently, it wasn’t funny enough. Now Penn Social.
Once a massive sports bar, it is now Penn Social event space.
Kickass little neighborhood jont that Billy Colbert helped design. He's the man.
The first bar in the now-famous Blagden Alley part of DC.
We were brought in to build something cool in Crystal City, VA. It worked!
Where chef partner Marjorie Meek-Bradley made the best pastrami sandwich in history.
Crazy New Orleans warehouse bar with an Airstream trailer on the roof.
This is our flagship location. Expanded it in 2022 to the old MINT Gym space next door.
Hard to find but amazing looking spot in Georgetown! Pandemic required new vision.
We partnered with Astro Doughnuts and Fried Chicken to feed the masses.
Grilled cheese, smoked wings and 16 ounce beers? What could go wrong with that?
Was Iron Horse before COVID struck. Now Gordon Ramsy’s Street Pizza in DC.
A huge win next to Franklin Hall. Pizza Star Giullio Adriani has helped build a winner.
Giant outdoor patio and a fun, industrial design make this a Northern Virginia success.
The office crowds never came back to DC, so Little Penn came and went quickly.
DC’s Georgetown neighborhood needed a great hangout spot. Bingo!
More beer, doughnuts and fried chicken in a A+ location in Arlington, Virginia.
1969! It’s a smokey bar from the sixties, without the smoke.
A history of building amazing bars
Geoff’s journey in the D.C. bar business began in 1992, when Geoff, then a residential contractor, designed, built and opened Bedrock Billiards in Adams Morgan. This little neighborhood bar is still thriving and remains his sentimental favorite. After the success of Bedrock Billiards, he continued to create and open other establishments such as Atomic Billiards, Buffalo Billiards, Carpool, RocketBar, Franklin Hall and Penn Social. Each of these businesses stands alone, each with a unique identity, playful design and neighborhood importance.
Building a bar can be exhilerating
In 2004 when the Verizon Center opened in downtown DC, Geoff and Bedrock Bars were brought in to open Velocity Grill, a 20,000 square foot venue within the Verizon Center. It lasted only a year. Having learned many valuable lessons from that failure, Geoff returned soon after to open RocketBar, Iron Horse, Penn Social and Jackpot within two blocks of the Verizon Center.
Recent openings include 1969 Bar, Astro Beer Hall and Quincy Hall, all in Virginia. With no plans of slowing down, Dawson is dedicated to creating fun, neighborhood centered spots while also sharing his entrepreneurship journey through mentorship and teaching.
Bar Talk
”This little pool hall in Adam's Morgan rocks. The staff is friendly and makes everyone feel welcome. The Jukebox rocks all night and the drinks flow. Fun is had by everyone!!”
— Robert Rubin, Bedrock Billiards Customer
“What an awesome little bar! Plenty to do. We came in for karaoke on a Saturday and did not leave disappointed.”
— Matt Brandenburger, Clubhouse Customer
“Perfect spot for a couple beers and some bar food. Bartenders were friendly and made sure we had everything we needed. They have a nice selection on tap and the food came out nice and quick.”
— M. Marzulla, Astro Beer Hall Customer
“Hole in the wall that is a gem! I’m a fan and will definitely be back! $6 rails?!?!?! Games?!?! Yes please! We had so much fun!”
— Bobbi DeAnda, Rocketbar Customer