I’ve been going to Sepi’s Giant Submarines every
Thursday for happy hour since last September. It’s hard to
put it in words, but Sepi’s is so much more than a place to
grab a pitcher of beer. I’ll try to explain.
Alex, the owner, keeps Sepi’s open until at least 11 p.m.,
Monday through Saturday, and until 9 p.m. on Sunday. However, those
hours aren’t set in stone. Last Friday, for instance, he
closed up at 1 a.m. because he didn’t want to kick out his
patrons ““ they were having too much fun.
Westwood needs a place with hours that fluctuate. Sure, you can
go to Chili’s, which I’m sure keeps to its regular
hours, and order a beer. But you also could have gone to USC, know
what I mean?
Sepi’s (located on Le Conte Avenue, between Gayley and
Broxton avenues) was founded in 1969 by a mythical figure only
known as Lawrence. And, yes, this is for real. After conducting
interviews with Alex ““ who also only goes by his first name,
no joke ““ I was able to learn a little about this Lawrence
character.
Apparently, Lawrence had a partner whose last name was Sepi,
thus the place’s name. It should be noted that until I
interviewed Alex, I thought his name was Sepi.
“No, no one has ever called me Sepi before,” Alex
said.
Good, glad that is settled.
The hallowed walls of Sepi’s are adorned with photographs
of UCLA athletics ““ past and present. Look to your left, and
there’s a picture of the 2000 men’s lacrosse team. Look
to your right, and there’s a keg autographed by Bill Walton.
Look behind you, and there is a drunken guy passed out. Just
kidding.
The point is that so much lore surrounds Sepi’s that it
has a unique mystique. And a TV to watch sports on while you drink.
(Note: True to its name, Sepi’s Giant Submarines does sell
sandwiches, although I’ve never actually eaten one.) Some of
my fondest memories of Sepi’s involve watching World Series
baseball or UCLA basketball with friends.
As such a celebrated Westwood establishment, Sepi’s even
attracts some of the famous athletes who adorn its walls.
“Bill Walton came in here twice ““ both times he
ordered two large turkey sandwiches, a six pack of beer and some
bags of chips. He had a dog with him,” Alex said.
Walton isn’t the only one who likes Sepi’s. Former
Daily Bruin columnist Jeff Agase does, too, calling it “a
diamond in the gentrified corporate rough of Westwood.” He
uses words like “gentrified,” so it’s obvious he
goes to Harvard Law School, and he obviously knows what he is
talking about.
Hey, Jeff, are there any places at Harvard that are as cool as
Sepi’s?
“Are you kidding me, no.”
Hey, Jeff, I guess that means UCLA is better than Harvard,
huh?
Last Thursday at Sepi’s, I sat with a pitcher and some
friends at my favorite table, watching some college basketball on
the TV (happy hour, 5 to 7 p.m., every day) and my thoughts turned
to something Agase once said to me.
“You know those people who always complain when some
unknown band that they like hits it big?” Jeff asked.
“My friends and I felt the same way about Sepi’s. We
discovered it midway through our senior year and were probably the
only people there for two months. Yes, I am actually proud of this
fact. But it wasn’t until Sepi’s became the place
during spring quarter that the memories, or lack thereof, really
began to form.”
And like Jeff and his friends, I just seemed to discover
Sepi’s. I guess that’s how it’s been done since
1969. And now, like an idiot, I made it easy for all of you. I
showed you the path, and you’ll probably be sitting at my
favorite table next time I drop in. If so, kindly buy me a pitcher.
Seriously.
If you know who Lawrence is or have a Sepi’s story,
e-mail Miller at dmiller@media.ucla.edu.