Coglin’s Story: Why an 80’s & 90’s Bar is Taking Over Wilmington

Coglin’s Wilmington Retro Bar is a blast from the past. Surrounded by your favorite tunes from the 80s & 90s, this neon-lit dance club will transport you back to a better time.

Coglin’s Backstory: Where did the name come from?

“Anything else is always something better” is a classic quote by Douglas Coughlin from the mega-successful eighties hit Cocktail. Released in 1988, the movie featured Tom Cruise, a struggling college student working as an NYC bartender to pay for college. Doug Coughlin, a fellow bartender and mentor figure, provided iconic one-liners throughout the movie with bits of wisdom known as Coughlin’s Law. Muck like a drunk Yoda, Coughlin was one of the greatest bartending philosophers of 80’s film. 

“Never show surprise; never lose your cool.”

“Drink or be gone.” 

“Bury the dead, they stink up the joint”

Zack Medford and his friend Ben Yannessa, a product of the 80’s and 90’s themselves, would often quote the movie while bartending in the Raleigh area. As an ongoing joke inspired by Coughlin’s Law, the two created a fictional character and alter-ego, “Randy Coglin,” that embodied everything that was right in the world during the 80’s and 90’s. Over time, Medford and Yannessa got the idea to create a bar that embraced growing up in the 80/90’s. A place where you could listen to sick beats and be surrounded by the iconic styles of the eras…the Coglin’s Retro Bar was born. 

Coglin’s Retro Bar Wilmington

Located in Historic Downtown Wilmington, Coglin’s is a spacious second-floor bar with a roofless outdoor patio that overlooks Market and 2nd street. With a large dance floor and plenty of nostalgic neon decor, you can bust a groove to amazing music while drinking retro-inspired cocktails. Jazzercise Juice, anyone? Or maybe a Blue Lagoon Fish Bowl? 

Check Out Coglin’s Today

Come dance the night away with incredible DJs and classic tunes at Coglin’s Retro Bar in Wilmington. One of North Carolina’s BEST 80’s and 90’s Bar — relive the glory days of the finest decades around and party like it’s 1999! For more information on Coglin’s pop culture vibe, check out the website at www.coglins.com or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.