Newhall is rich with culture, most would never know. The town’s inception came with the railroad, back in the 1870s, around the time gold was first discovered in California! That’s right! Gold was first discovered in Placerita Canyon. This lead to the rapid development of the Newhall area. Main Street (now Railroad Avenue) was a thriving western town, stacked with hotels, trading posts and saloons. Local constable, Joseph Leighton, ran one of the many taverns in town. The most notorious one was the Derrick Saloon, located on the corner of 8th and Main Street, just steps from the train station. Leighton employed a pair of sisters from New York named Dora and Flora May Lake to run the saloon. They not only offered libations for general currency, but also gold dust and anything else worth trading. The girls continued operations for many years, raising a family that in turn carried on the business. Many decades later, after changing ownership a number of times, the name was changed to the Rendezvous; still home to local cowboys, gold diggers and railroad passengers traveling between Los Angeles and San Francisco. This simple little bar would go on to be one of the longest running businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley and the oldest drinking establishment in all of L.A. County!
The Rendezvous name was shortened about five years ago to “The VU,” mostly because people had trouble spelling it, (before smart phones) even worse, people phonetically pronouncing it after a couple pints! Rend-eZ-VouS… say that five times fast. With the change of the name came a number of upgrades; such as a stage, sound system, private booths and a furnished patio… transforming this round-the-corner biker bar into the hip local live entertainment lounge it is today. Our goal is to keep it fresh and lively every night, showcasing tons of local talent, along with a few imported favorites. Each night offers something different… with rockabilly, alternative and punk rock on Mondays; Bingo, Bands and Shenanigans on Tuesday, electronic DJs on Wednesdays, $1 beers and top 40 DJs on Thursdays, live Country music on Fridays and various headlining bands and DJ shows on Saturdays! So pick the night that best suits you, join us for a pint and be a part of the continuing history that is The VU!
Open from 12 p.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week! Happy hour prices run all day! The VU Bar & Lounge is located at 22505 8th Street in Newhall. For more information, please call 661-255-7833.