There comes a time in every great dive bar's life when a little sprucing up is in order.
For the Mint Cocktails on East Grant Road and North Dodge Boulevard, that time is now.
"My husband built this bar 45 years ago," says owner Judy Hibbert. "It needs a little face-lift."
And a face-lift it will get.
Three brand-new pool tables are already on the floor, alongside a new digital jukebox that has a touch-screen face and a music selection to rival any iPod.
The back patio will soon be enclosed, inviting smokers to venture outside with their drinks, and a small dance floor will be added in the back of the bar.
Although live music was once a staple at the Mint Cocktails, Hibbert says she decided to take a break from the music after the passing of her husband and the bar's former owner, John "Red" Hibbert, in 1999.
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Now that nearly a decade has passed, Hibbert is considering bringing back the bands, hoping the dance floor will entice customers to do some boot-scootin'.
"There's nothing like dancing to a slow country song," she says, laughing.
But the dance floor isn't the only new addition.
The ceilings will be redone, the wooden walls will be repaneled, the parking lot reworked, the upholstery revamped.
Although change has a funny way of driving some away, Hibbert says she plans to keep the essence of the Mint the same.
"This will still be a small neighborhood pub," she says. "We're not looking to build a big club."
One negative side of the uplift: The pool tables went from 50 cents to $1.
But the price jump hasn't kept customers away, says David Kelley, a Mint employee for the past two years.
"Even though the price went up, it's better quality," Kelley says, taking aim during his own round of pool. "We still have some of the best shooters in Tucson coming in."
And get this: Ladies play for free on Thursday nights from 8 to 10 p.m.
Though the Mint's face is changing, its heart is constant: a steady following of regulars, who come in to escape the outside world and be among friends.
"I've been coming here for the past few years," says Todd Hartin, who got turned on to the place while he was working at the nearby Fry's Food and Drug. "It's a good place to be."
For newbies, the Mint holds a similar appeal.
"I had a really bad day today," says Dewayne Kennedy, 22, a first-timer on a recent Saturday night who came to the bar at the advice of his Wal-Mart co-workers. "Before this, I only went to O'Malleys, but everyone's been really friendly and the beer is cheap."
If you go
• What: The Mint Cocktails, 3540 E. Grant Road.
• Open: 3 p.m.-2 a.m. Mondays- Fridays; noon-2 a.m. weekends.
• Info: 881-9169.
