OK. Here are my new questions:
1. Was/Is it common for patrons to leave through the employee entrance? I can't recall using an employee entrance to a bar or restaurant since my waitress days, but it might be different in a bar on the second floor of a building. Do people use the employee entrance to get past a bouncer or an ID check, for example?
2. Did Brian know anyone who worked at the Ugly Tuna?
3. Does the video from the main entrance show any of Brian's friends leaving or returning after Brian was seen coming back up the escalator?
1. No. I went to Ugly Tuna the first time in the Summer of 2006, and at that time, there was only one entrance - up the escalator/stairs in the building. Once on the second floor, the movie theater was to the left and Ugly Tuna was immediately to the right. When you enter, they don't just look at the birthdate on your ID, they actually swipe it. I don't know if things became more strict after Brian went missing, but every time I've been there, everyone must enter/exit by the main entrance. Since it's a campus bar, they're very strict about IDs, and I don't think anyone would be able to sneak in the back way, as that could have strict legal consequences. It may happen, but it's not common, to my knowledge.
2. I don't know. If the investigation turned up any connections, I'm not aware of it.
3. I'm not sure - perhaps someone else may remember more about the video than I do. It's been so long with this case, a lot of the specific details aren't as clear as they should be.
Just to give a better picture of the bar - when you enter, the restrooms are immediately to the right. There's often lines out the door, obscuring the view. The bar is oblong shaped and positioned almost perpendicular to the entrance. Between its proximity to the wall and the lines for the bathroom, there's no way to get around on the right hand side, you have to go to the left. There's a few booths and tables to the left of the bar, making it difficult to get to the rest of the bar. Generally this area is pretty packed and you can't see who all is in the bar. Once you get past the tip of the bar, the area is a bit more open with a stage, some tables flanking the opposing side of the bar from the entrance, and a long, narrow patio for smokers. I'm hypothesizing the employee entrance is through the kitchen (doors on the left wall), since I've never seen any other entrance/exit. The way it's packed in there, I used to worry about the stampede if there were a fire, since there appeared to be only one entrance/exit. Because of the position of the bar, which basically takes up most of the space, you can't see from one side of the bar to the other if you're looking for friends. When it's packed with people, all bets are off for sure. It's quite easy to be separated from your friends in that place, because of its poor visibility and lack of clear floor space.
