Photo by Melissa Nicewarner Daly

Jamie Frailicks, James Wilson and Brian Scofield, co-owners of Black Rabbit Saloon, noticed a trend among bars in San Marcos and decided to try bucking the norm.

Many college bars have what Wilson calls a "get them in, get them out" policy regarding their nightly clientele, but the trio behind Black Rabbit wanted to turn their bar into a destination where people could spend their entire evening.

"We really focus on good quality and good customer service," Wilson said. "We don't want to necessarily just sling out as many drinks as fast as we can."

There are about a dozen bars and drinking establishments within a one-block radius of San Marcos' downtown square, so the three co-owners knew they would have to do something radical to make themselves stand out. Their answer to that dilemma came in the form of a game room.

The bar's nonalcoholic diversions include four lanes of skeeball, pool tables and vintage video games including "NFL Blitz," "Pac-Man" and "Galaga." At no time during the week is Black Rabbit's fun flag waving more proudly than on Wednesday, when the 40 members of the Whiskeeball skeeball league crowd around the four lanes.

However, not all of Black Rabbit's clientele wishes to indulge in that sort of adolescent revelry, Wilson said. He also recommends the front of the saloon, which he describes as a "classic bar" with eight craft beers on tap, including seasonal and regional offerings.

The bar opened Aug. 10 at 127 E. Hopkins St. in the spot once occupied by Dillingers.

"We saw in Dillingers a kind-of run-down, underutilized spot on the square," Wilson said. "We wanted to take that and turn it around into something people would be willing to walk into."

Wilson said the response from the community has been strong.