For years and years, the second-floor Olympic Hotel in downtown Boise sat empty. Wil Kirkman, who runs the Rocket Neon sign shop, refurbished the spot over the summer and opened the Olympic Venue as a weekend music spot and private events center during the week. We had our Statesman newsroom Christmas party there last night. It’s a comfortable space, with plenty of wood tables and chairs. Kirkman has also preserved some old wall advertisements. The downside is the bar is limited to hand-mixed drinks. They don’t own a blender. I’d have brought my own if I had known.