The bigger, the better, at Destiny Bar

It is his destiny, said Brandon West, to help other people have a good time.

As owner of the Destiny Bar and Grill on Appleway in the Greenacres Shopping Center, which opened July 31, West said his bar is the first local drinking, dining and dancing destination aimed at attracting big, beautiful women (BBW) and their admirers. He quickly added that he hopes men and women of all sizes patronize the place. “It’s for all shapes and sizes, for everyone.”

“Big, beautiful women and their admirers are the funnest crowd around,” he said. “To have a good time, appearance doesn’t matter. You don’t have to look like a perfect 10 to have a good time.”

When West moved to Spokane from California last fall he worked in property management, but when he lost his job two days before Christmas, he decided to purchase the restaurant space that was formerly home to a pizza parlor. It was destiny, he said, adding that he looked through the dictionary to find a name for the establishment.

“This area has so much potential,” he said of his location in Greenacres, describing how the area didn’t have many places for people in their 20s and 30s to go out and have a good time. West said he wants to fill that void, and it is his goal to become “a fixture in this community so that 50 years down the road I’m doing the same thing, making people happy.”

After spending almost $150,000 to remodel the bar, then pawning his car to buy food and open the doors, he said, “I thank God every day I made it through the process.”

Once he starts turning a profit, West said he will put the money back in the bar, and he plans to eventually buy the space next door and add a restaurant. But for now, he said, he wants the bar to become a popular destination pulling from Spokane and North Idaho.

“I want this place to be different for my customers,” he said, explaining that he wanted to create an artistic vibe with original artwork on the walls that would serve as talking pieces for customers while giving local artists a break.

He also said soliciting local artists to display pieces rent free made good business sense compared to renting art. After posting an ad on Craigslist, he said he got a great response and “unbelievable artwork.”

While West considers his walls a feast for the eyes, he said customers will love his subs and sushi, which he also delivers in a five-mile radius with a minimum order of $15.

For entertainment, he said customers can sing karaoke or dance to the jukebox on weeknights or make song requests to the DJ on the weekends, which are his BBW event nights. West said he will also book bands for some events.

But his larger goal, he said, is for customers to have such a good time they find their own destiny at his bar. “Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it here at Destiny. If you’re looking for a friend, looking to get away from what’s going on in life, looking for something different, we want to give it to you.”

To help customers and staff show their enthusiasm he mounted a large bell by the door for customers to ring as they leave. “If you had a good time, ring the bell,” he said. “When you ring that bell, everyone starts yelling. It’s contagious. Having fun is contagious.”