If you like to play sports and drink beer, and not necessarily at the same time, you are not in the minority. And longtime Park Avenue bar J.W. Prepps has got you covered. Located behind Park Avenue Salon and Day Spa, J.W. Prepps (typically called just "Prepps") is mostly hidden from view as you stroll down Park, but with $2 bottles every night of the week, an eclectic array of bar games (including the seldom-seen BAGS, a bean-bag tossing video game), and an admirable team-sponsorship program, you might call it Park Avenue's best kept secret - except for the fact that it's frequently filled to capacity.

"People love coming here because there's no intimidation factor," says Malcolm Franklin, who began working as a doorman at Prepps nine years ago and has been manager for the last six. "Everyone who works here - from the doorman, to the bartenders, to the DJ - is really fun. Our regulars love them so much they could probably tell you their names and their schedules."

Bill Thomolaris, Prepps' owner, opened the bar in May of 1981, giving it its two-part name. The J and W are the initials of a friend who passed away and the "Prepps" part comes from Thomolaris' then-partner's wife, who had recently bought a "preppy handbook," which Thomolaris describes as a guide for "when to wear Dockers and what to wear with your Izod." The name caught on.

"You know, that was back when you wanted to name a bar something with two pieces so people could call it whatever they wanted," Thomolaris says. "And that's exactly what's happened."

In its 26 years, things haven't always been so busy for Prepps. But thanks to some keen marketing, it has picked up a large crowd of regulars. A few years ago the owners started putting flyers up around the Park Ave district offering drink specials; that brought the locals in. Next, they began a birthday promotion giving $1 drinks to people who flash their ID on their special day. But arguably the best strategy has been the team-sponsorship program. Prepps pays your team dues if you wear a shirt with the bar's logo on it while you play. And not only do you get a free shirt, but teams of eight and up are also entitled to a free pizza (from Pontillo's) and two pitchers of beer if they come in before or after a game.

"We sponsor everything," Franklin says. "No, seriously - you name it, we'll sponsor it, from the usual softball to ping-pong, lawn darts, and dodge ball."

Prepps' "we take ‘em all" attitude is working: just three years ago the bar only sponsored 12 to 15 teams; last year the number was closer to 40. And while the people who drink and work at Prepps don't classify it as a "sports bar," Prepps also offers patrons the chance to watch a game on one of the many TVs. On Sundays, when the Bills are away, Prepps raffles off two tickets to the next Bills home game.

Prepps is located at 729 Park Avenue. The bar is open Mondays-Saturdays, 4 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sundays 12:30 p.m.-2 a.m. (hours vary with sports games). For more information call 271-7925, visit prepps.com, or myspace.com/prepps (the profile is set to private, but will accept friend requests from anyone 21 and older).