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Written by Becky McSeddon

A 20-year passion project is unfolding at 317 S. Lake Havasu Ave.

Enthusiasm is almost an understatement when it comes to the obvious excitement of the Lighthouse Lounge developer group.

“For us, it's been a dream come true for over 20 years,” said Josh Wooden, Artistic Director of Lighthouse Lounge.

“We had a vintage dive bar in mind. We didn't expect it to be this big, but when we walked into this building, the wheels started turning,” Wood said.

Twins Justin and Jason Bechen, along with Wooden, are immigrants from Iowa who bring a midwestern flavor to Lake Havasu City's entertainment scene.

“It's a small city with a big city feel,” Wooden said. “It's an atmosphere you don't get around here. We want people to be open-minded and have fun. It's all about the atmosphere,” he said.

The venue is made up of three zones, and Wooden says customers will feel like they're actually bar-hopping. The Lighthouse Lounge has an upper bar, a basement and a comfortable lounge area.

Wooden describes himself as an art school dropout. “This project really gave me an opportunity to push myself in the arts,” he said.

“We target all age groups. For people who grew up in the '70s, it reminds them of their past. Young people experience everything that people who grew up in the '70s did. It's a new experience for them,” Wood said.

“We poured our heart and soul into this project. We worked 12 to 14 hours a day and completed it in 110 days.”

The lounge offers a 30-day menu until the end of February. Wooden said one of his current most popular items on its menu is his pork tenderloin sandwich.

“It's about the size of two hands and is larger than life both visually and in taste,” Wood said.

One of the signature cocktails offered is the Scorpion Shot, which is a shot of tequila and scorpion. A badge of honor will be awarded to those who finish their alcoholic beverages. Some may wonder where to get scorpions, and of course why order from an online farm?

The plan is to decide on a more permanent menu after the 30-day menu has been completed.

In addition to dining, the lounge offers live music most weekends Thursday through Saturday.

“We have national recording artists of high level talent booked well past June,” Wood said. “And you get to see them in an intimate setting.”

Wooden said carpenter Matt Bristlin executed the artwork to perfection.

In addition to Wooden, the Betchen twins' parents, Mac and Jolene Patterson, and Devin Garrett also helped implement the project.

The kitchen staff is led by Jack Wizan on the grill side and Adrian Velasquez on the pizza side.

“It's not over yet,” Wood said. “We're trying to raise the bar on Lake Havasu. We have more ideas coming. We want to take the city by storm with immersive entertainment.”

Lighthouse Lounge is located at 317 S. Lake Havasu Ave. We are currently open Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 11 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 1 a.m. Closed on Mondays. Opening hours may change in the future, so please check the Lighthouse Facebook page at Lighthouse Lounge.