It was at the height of the pandemic when Garema Place bar Shorty's announced it was closing down, leaving customers and the wider community with the message, "Life is short".
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Well, life is short, so why not bring Shorty's back for five nostalgic days?
The former Canberra haunt is taking over Wakefield's from September 10 to 14, to bring back all the guilty pleasures and classic dishes that Canberra has been craving since Shorty's shut its doors.
"No, sadly we're not back for good (just yet!), but we're keeping the dream alive with the next best thing; an event that'll slap you with nostalgia harder than a Cheez TV cartoon binge!" the Shorty's team announced on its social media.
"For a week, we'll be resurrecting all your guilty pleasures, and yes, that includes the famous deep-fried Golden Gaytimes, classic crinkle cut chips with Shorty's seasoning, crispy honey duck wings, Crunk Cooler jugs, and all of our (offensively named) shots.
"Plus, in the lead-up on socials, we'll run a food fight for grown-ups letting you vote on other fringe favourites to bring back.
"Plenty of the old crew will be back in action, ready to serve up some serious nostalgia, and because we still love you, we're rolling back the [original] deals and the [original] prices."
When Shorty's closed its doors during COVID, the crew scattered to the winds, each pursuing different paths and opportunities.
However, the strong friendships forged over many years at Shorty's have persevered, bringing key players back together under owner Frank Condi.
Now all working across the venues at Edgars Inn, operations manager Zac Graham, venue manager Kierain Bunton, and head chef Wayne Alger are thrilled to bring this event to life.
"We got the idea after customers kept recognising us from Shorty's, often reminiscing or urging us to revive it," Alger said.
Bookings are now open for the 'Shorty's Hijack,' which will take place at Wakefield's Bar in Ainslie. For more information go to edgarsinn.com.au/wakefields.
