With increased police breakups of student house parties in the University Heights, some UB students are abandoning keg parties in basements to throw legal parties at local bar Surrender.
Surrender, the only 18-and-up club on Main Street in the Heights, has seen an increase in student traffic this semester after Buffalo Police cracked down on parties and UB disciplined more than 50 students during the first few weeks of the school year.
Instead of hosting house parties, which receive complaints from non-student residents and are susceptible to being broken up by police, some students have been switching it up to renting out open bars at Surrender, feeling it’s a safer option without fear of police crackdowns.
“Surrender is fun because any college student can get in and not have to worry about getting arrested,” said Carly Fromm, a sophomore business major.
Tim Walton, promoter and marketer of Surrender, said police crackdowns on house parties this semester have pushed students to look for a safe and legal environment to party in.
“There’s a lot more people out walking the streets looking for a safe yet fun atmosphere to party,” Walton said. “They are making Surrender a destination spot because they know that they can have a good time legally.”
Due to the student increase at Surrender this semester, Walton said the bar has had to do less advertising to get students to come through its doors.
Tyler Merron, a sophomore communication major, believes that Surrender, which opened in 2014, has become popular this semester because it’s allows entrée for people 18 and over. The Steer, located across the street, only allows those 21 and over to enter.
“I like how Surrender is 18 and up and how it gives open bar nights unlike The Steer, where you have to be 21 and many people get denied,” Merron said. “If Surrender wasn’t 18 and older, it would bring the same student crowd as The Steer, which is only seniors and some juniors.”
The open bars at Surrender include a $10 cover charge and patrons 21 and over receive a plastic cup upon entering. The plastic cup then has unlimited refills during the open bar.
The student increase at bars helps limits the presence of students roaming the streets in the Heights looking for house parties. Instead students crowd outside the bars waiting in line.
“Instead of people walking by to go to a house party, they are walking looking for bars or places to have fun and many choose Surrender,” Walton said.
Fromm said that one negative aspect of Surrender becoming popular is that the line can get long and slow, increasing wait times. She said she’s also overheard students who are 21 complain that it takes a long time to order drinks from the bar when it becomes packed.
Other than that, she believes it is a good spot for UB students who usually have house parties in the Heights to go to for a fun and safe night out.
“I think a lot of students are going to Surrender because … people are tired from doing the same thing over and over again,” said Spencer Cloth, a freshman accounting major. “Surrender is something new to do and that’s why there’s such a student crowd.”
Dani Guglielmo is a features desk editor and can be reached at features@ubspectrum.com.
