Update on August 20, 2018: Before it even opened to the public, the Wubba Lub Dub PUB would be no more. After a media preview, the Drink Company announced that they’d have to delay the official opening by a week, but before even the first customer was served, Turner Broadcasting and Cartoon Network shut down the pop-up bar. In a statement, Cartoon Network wrote:
“Adult Swim [which is part of Cartoon Network] was not approached in advance of Drink Company building out and announcing their Rick and Morty-themed bar. That bothered us, not only because it wasn’t polite and aimed at profiting off of Rick and Morty fans, but because we couldn’t be sure that the experience was going to be up to our standards for those fans, whom we never want to disappoint. Also, it’s illegal, which we’re pretty sure still counts for something.”
In an official statement, The Drink Company points to Turner Broadcasting’s unwillingness to let fans geek out:
“Wubba Lubba Dub PUB was designed by fans for fans, though we think everyone would have enjoyed it. It was a labor of love … In a word, we are fans geeking out. Turner Broadcasting/Cartoon Network wasn’t willing to let us do that and demanded we shut down.”
According to the statement, the parties reached an agreement (the cause of the original delay), but Turner and Cartoon Network then rescinded.
“They changed their minds, threatened us with exorbitant fees and then took everything off the table today and refused to talk any further. The whole time we were operating in good faith and willing to make concessions to bring this wonderful work of fan art to life.”
The result of this, according to the Drink Company, is not good. Not only will fans not get to indulge in Rick and Morty drinks, but they will have to lay off employees and take a “massive” financial hit.
The company ended their statement with some strong words for the networks: “We also have learned a valuable lesson: when it comes to free speech and fair use, Turner Broadcasting/Cartoon Network believes that should only be a joke on the show.”
Article originally published August 7, 2018. Last updated August 20, 2018, to include details about the bar’s closure.
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Calling all lovers of Mr. Meeseeks: Soon you will be able to share that love with the world at the new Rick and Morty-themed pop-up bar, the Wubba Lubba Dub PUB, which will be open from August through the beginning of October in Washington, D.C.
Located at 1839 7th St. NW, the Adult Swim cartoon-inspired bar was created by Drink Company, who in the past have put on a variety of other pop-up experiences, including the Miracle on 7th Street, Cherry Blossom PUB, Royal Wedding PUB, and last summer’s Game of Thrones PUB.
- 1. Pickle Rick Back.
- 2. Existence is Pain.
The bar (which stretches across three adjacent Drink Company properties) will cater to the cult-like fans of the show, giving them not only a variety of cocktails based off of the duo’s adventures and universes (we’re hoping for a Rick Potion #9) but also a slew of other Kalaxian Crystal-fueled delights for diehards to revel in. These will include, but aren’t limited to, a recreation of Rick’s garage lab, a reverse giraffe, and the iconic Space Cruiser. You can also expect an Anatomy Park, the Cromulons’ Cygnus-5 expanse, dimension 35-C Farmer Rick’s Mega Tree farm, a gang of life-sized Meeseeks, and (necessarily, if you ask us) Real Fake Doors.
Oh, and if you come dressed as Rick, you’ll get to go in a special entrance and bring your Morty (though there will likely be other Mortys you can trade up/out for while there anyway, just in case).
Needless, to say, the Drink Company crew (which includes graffiti-artist Andrew Funk, sculptor and robot master Andrew Herndon, Meeseeks-maker Maria Aspiazu, and Drink Company special projects team Matt Fox, Adriana Salame-Aspiazu, and Alisa Wyman) have put a lot of time and fleeb juice into making this as Rick and Morty-esque as possible.
The cocktail menu’s highlights include “Get Schwifty” (tequila, St. Germain, watermelon, lime, and salt); “Plumbus” (St. George Green Chile vodka, Manzanilla, grapefruit, and sparkling water); and “Existence Is Pain,” (gin, blanc vermouth, Blue Curacao, coconut water, lemon, and absinthe). Each of the concoctions was created by Drink Company’s head of bar Paul Taylor and will run you between $12 and $14 (or six and a half Brapples).
If you go to the bar and want to take a piece of it home, you’ll have an opportunity after the experience ends, as the custom Rick and Morty-inspired art will be auctioned off with all proceeds going to Destination Imagination, a non-profit organization encourages students’ to tackle STEM, fine arts, and service challenges.
The Wubba Lubba Dub PUB will run Thursday, August 9 through Saturday, October 6. The hours are Sunday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. and Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Need more pop-up goodness? Check out Cheat Day Land.
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