AVONDALE – A red and white sign for Podlasie Club has hung above Avondale’s Central Park Avenue for decades, promising entertainment.

Podlasie Club, 2918 N. Central Park Ave., was one of the most popular Polish nightclubs in the area in the 80s and 90s, filled with working-class Poles dancing the night away to live music. But in recent years, the club has quietened and emptied as the neighborhood gentrified.

Then something unexpected happened: the owners of Podlasie teamed up with a group of young creatives to organize dance parties last summer. The Podlasie Club has once again become one of Chicago’s hottest dance clubs, with young people in their 20s and 30s lining up to dance in the former Polish bar. The club was alive, but for a young generation.

“We had nobody, we were closing at 8-9pm. Then all of a sudden we had 120 people until 3am. It was hard for me to understand that this could actually happen,” said co-owner Violetta Konopka, who runs the club with her brother, Vitek Pluta.

Now, instead of closing the bar, the owners are investing in its future as a nightlife hotspot. The bar’s first major renovation in decades began last month and is expected to last until spring.

Credit: Mina Bloom/Block Club Chicago

From “extremely dead” to the hottest place in town

Konopka and Pluta’s mother, Danuta Pluta, opened Podlasie Club in 1986 after emigrating from Poland.

At the time, the bar looked like a Polish wedding, with disco lights and tables covered in pink tablecloths near the dance floor, the owners said. Doll couples, including “women wearing their best dresses and full make-up”, filled the club every weekend to see polka bands and other acts aimed at the Polish community, or to grab a drink, said Vitek Pluta.

“They were people who worked hard all week, then that Saturday they went out and had a really good time,” he said.

Business dwindled as more Poles left the area for the suburbs, decimating the clientele. The once bustling dance club has turned into an empty dive bar.

The family stopped hosting live shows around five years ago to focus on running the bar, the owners said. Konopka said they considered shutting everything down at that time, but they held on to keep their mother’s legacy alive.

“When my mother came from Poland in the 80s, she was able to buy this place four years after arriving in the United States… That’s why we want to keep it. She worked hard for it. Why not keep it in the family? said Konopka.

Credit: Mina Bloom/Block Club Chicago

The revival began when Justine Tobiasz decided to celebrate her birthday at the Avondale bar in January 2020, when the hangout was quiet and empty. Tobiasz, a 34-year-old media archivist and visual artist, had hung out in Podlasie a few times and wanted her friends to experience her charm.

Konopka said she remembered getting a phone call from Tobiasz one sleepy Friday night.

Tobiasz “asked if we were open, what time we would be open. And I said, ‘Well, I’m not sure, I only have two clients.’ And she said, ‘Is it possible if you can stay open? Because today is my birthday and I want to come with some of my friends,” Konopka said.

Tobiasz and 20 of his friends – the largest number of Podlasie Club customers in a long time – closed the bar that night, feeling like they had discovered a secret gem. In their excitement, they asked Konopka to revive the old dance floor out back. It had not been used in recent years.

“It had that house party feeling. It was very comfortable,” Tobiasz said.

Tobiasz and his friends kept in touch with Konopka and asked if they could organize a dance party at the bar. Over time, they came up with the idea of ​​organizing a series of monthly events, called the Podlasie Pleasure Club.

Konopka came on board, hoping it might help revive the “extremely dead” company. But just as the collaboration was coming together, the pandemic forced the Podlasie Club to close. Suddenly it was no longer clear that the bar would survive, let alone throw a dance party.

The owners were lucky because their family owns the building, which means they didn’t have a mortgage, but they still struggled to keep the lights on and pay their bartender during the extended shutdown, they said.

Things remained quiet for about a year as the owners fought to save the family business.

“The idea that we were even going to have a successful party was a major storyline,” said Ali Najdi, one of the event series’ founders. “I was optimistic, but I didn’t expect Pleasure Club to explode like it did – and I don’t think anyone else was.”

Last July, the Podlasie Pleasure Club team finally held their first dance party, with the group members creating flyers, sprucing up the space and spreading the word. It was a resounding success. A DJ set by Najdi and Leja Hazer drew around 120 people, double what the owners expected. It was so crowded that some revelers had to jump behind the bar to help the owners serve drinks, the owners said.

“It was a running joke between all of us that no one would come. It’ll just be the five of us. But that’s not what happened,” Tobiasz said. safe enough to go out again…. It was a full house, there was a line down the block, which was so crazy for all of us.

Credit: Courtesy of Aaron Rolle

This party put Podlasie back on the map. Other DJs and party planners approached Konopka to sign up for the club’s schedule, even though he had no social media presence or website. Soon the Podlasie Club was booked up every weekend, with hundreds of people walking in and out of the bar just like in the 80s and 90s – but this time it was a younger crowd.

As the Podlasie Pleasure Club team continued to throw parties, the organizers helped the owners navigate sudden success. Party organizers wanted the revival to be a collaboration, not a takeover, they said.

While they were drawn to the nightclub for its “unintentionally cool” vibe, they wanted to help bring a deeply rooted family business back into the community.

“For me, it was about making sure we respected the place,” Tobiasz said. “It wasn’t just a place [was] empty and forgotten. There is definitely a community there. It has a long tradition and a long history.

Credit: Courtesy of Sophia Savin

After several months of celebrations, the Podlasie Club closed its doors again in December amid a new wave of COVID-19 cases. The owners have taken advantage of the closure to renovate the club, which is inside a century-old building that hadn’t seen any improvements since their mother bought it in the mid-1980s.

The renovation is hard work: Podlasie will have new walls, ceilings and bathrooms and a bigger dance floor when the project is finished. But the owners also keep many of the club’s original details, like the old bar, mirrors and Polish beer signs.

It’s important the bar continues to have a strong Polish identity when it reopens, hopefully in May, they said.

“Of course the walls are going to be different, of course the ceilings are going to be different. You have to follow the right path of construction and renovation. But the little pieces, the bar, it won’t change much. That’s what which made the place come alive,” said Vitek Pluta.

“It was the best thing that ever happened”

The Podlasie Club not only remains open, but it fills a void in Chicago nightlife.

After popular dive bar Danny’s closed in 2020, there aren’t many bars on the northwest side that regularly host dance parties for younger audiences, said Najdi, a fixture in the local music scene who recently worked for the Numero Group label.

Still, Podlasie Club is not “Danny’s 2.0”, said Najdi; he sees it as a cross between Danny’s and Smart Bar. Either way, “there is definitely a need for this space in Chicago,” he said.

“I have a lot of gratitude for Vitek and Violetta, for being open-minded and for letting a group of kids come in and be creative and experiment and have fun outside of the bureaucracy of being a dancer or a DJ in Chicago and the limitations that come with that,” Najdi said.

Gratitude is mutual. The owners said their associates and patrons have been nothing but kind and supportive during this transformation, and they plan to keep the dance parties going.

“I love these kids. I call them my kids,” Konopka said.

Having mainly served older Poles before the revamp, Konopka said she was unsure about turning Podlasie into a hip dance club.

“I was skeptical because we never deal with younger audiences. It was always the old Poles. We didn’t know what could happen,” she said. “But it’s the best thing that has arrived.”

Credit: Courtesy of Aaron Rolle

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March 4 – Two former businesses will soon have new life as places to grab a bite to eat or have a drink after the Chattanooga Beer & Wrecker Board approved applications for Mariscos Vallarta at East Brainerd and Boneyard Bar on Station Street.

Mariscos Vallarta will open in the former Shoney’s off Shallowford Village Drive near the Hamilton Place mall, and Boneyard Bar will open in a few months in the former Brinx warehouse on Station Street.

Alexandro Leon told the board during the bid process that Mariscos Vallarta will be a seafood and Mexican grill with a full bar open seven days a week. It will employ 20 people.

Jared Padovani said he and his two Boneyard partners are working to turn the 3,500 square foot location into a “neighborhood bar” with a variety of bar food, snacks and a full bar.

He told the board that he and his partners are aware of some of the issues that have recently made the news regarding the Beer Board and in particular The Blue Light, which has been cited for 10 violations since November. Blue Light is located next to The Comedy Catch and across from Regans and Westbound.

Boneyard will be on the same side of the street as the final two, and Padovani said he and his partners are “taking [security] very seriously.” The site will have a fence at the rear with a separate entrance and a gate and large planters at the front, as well as security guards at both entrances, he said.

Padovani said the space has a capacity of 144 guests and may host live music in the future, but has no plans to do so at this time.

In other business, the board approved beer licenses for two long-running fundraisers, both of which are moving to new locations due to COVID-19.

The Chattanooga Breakfast Rotary Club’s fifth Brew Skies Festival will take place March 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at AT&T Field and will feature 70 craft beers, food and live entertainment with Neon Moon and Over Easy. Weather permitting, vendors will be set up on the outfield warning track.

The story continues

It had been held at Chattanooga Brewing Co. and Glenn Miller Gardens at Chattanooga Choo Choo.

Also, the Pink! The gala benefiting the CHI Memorial Foundation and the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center will take place on the same day and has moved to the First Horizon Pavilion, Chattanooga Convention Center. The evening will include silent and live auctions, a gourmet dinner and dancing to Party on the Moon.

Contact Barry Courter at [email protected] or 423-757-6354. Follow him on Twitter @BarryJC.

If you like to sing along at the top of your lungs at karaoke but don’t like to embarrass yourself in front of everyone, then Lala (stylized “LALA”), the new (and only) bar and restaurant in St. private karaoke, may interest you.

This new avant-garde entertainment restaurant at 2324 Central Ave. is expected to open in the first week of February, although there is no exact opening date yet.

The restaurant, its two bars and seven private karaoke rooms will occupy the two-story building in the Grand Central District. The new St. Pete hotspot will share an outdoor courtyard with neighboring Grand Central Brewhouse, and owner Luckas Herraiz told Creative Loafing in summer 2020 that it will serve as an “activity garden.” Games, live music and maybe even a karaoke contest are to be expected in the shared space when Lala debuts next month.

Herraiz picked up the phone to kick off the new year and talk about LALA’s highly anticipated opening, preview its menu and give an overview of its various karaoke rooms.

LALA’s eclectic menu stacked with American-French fusion is sure to distract you from those flat notes and awkward duets.

“Our menu will be inspired by a combination of modern American, French and Mediterranean cuisine,” Herraiz told CL. “There will be charcuterie boards, scallop tartare with truffles, filet mignon and beef carpaccio – I think everyone will be able to find a dish they like.

Lala will also provide catering service to neighboring Grand Central Brewhouse. GCB customers (whether seated inside or in the common courtyard) can place orders for burgers, pizzas, wings, and other bar-style dishes, and a Lala server will deliver them to them. Lala will also have a late-night menu alongside GCB’s munchie-style dishes.

In addition to food, there will be two full-service bars on the ground floor and rooftop serving a wide variety of wines, specialty cocktails and local beers. Herraiz says many of the drinks in Lala’s cocktail program are tropically inspired and made with natural fruit juices. Anyone in a private karaoke box will have access to the entire food and drink menu, with special waitresses servicing the different rooms – one of the ways Herraiz describes Lala’s private karaoke as a “dedicated experience”. .

There will be a total of seven different private rooms available to rent by the hour – the smallest room for five people costs $50 per hour while the largest room for 12 people costs $120 per hour . A minimum of two hours is required to reserve one of the rooms.

Each room is decorated differently, with themes ranging from old Hollywood glamor to tropical paradise, retro recording studio, disco party and grunge-rock (with Nirvana posters.) Hand sanitizer and disposable microphone covers will be part of the various COVID-19 precautions in place. When LALA opens soon, you can reserve karaoke rooms and reserve dinner tables in advance (highly recommended) directly through their website.

Private karaoke rooms, or “karaoke boxes” as they were originally called, became popular in Japan in the 1980s and quickly became a phenomenon for belters and serenades around the world. Although LALA is the only private karaoke venue in St. Petersburg, Tampa Karaoke VIP has been holding the private sing-along game for quite some time.

Herraiz owned and operated Greek restaurant Tikanis in St. Pete until he sold it two years ago, after realizing he wanted to open a more entertainment-focused restaurant.

“I wanted to create a complete entertainment restaurant experience,” says Herraiz. “The sophisticated karaoke trend is quite popular in Europe, and I wanted to bring it to St. Petersburg.”

Start building your karaoke master roster now, remember no one wants to listen to a six-minute song, and follow @lalastpete on Instagram for the latest updates on its grand opening happening next week.

Lala St. Pete will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday, with its kitchen open all the time. This new upscale karaoke restaurant will welcome children until 9 p.m., but will be adults-only until closing time.

Having spent my college years in the city of Canterbury, there aren’t too many bars that I haven’t sampled.

From The Cherry Tree to The Ballroom – if it serves alcohol, I’ve been there.

However, one venue that opened after I left Canterbury and returned home was the Privy Bar.

READ MORE: The 10 best things about Canterbury and why I would love to still live there

I know what you’re thinking, “Privy…that’s another name for a restroom, not a cocktail bar.”

Well, before opening as a cocktail bar in 2019, that’s exactly what the site was like. It was an underground toilet block located close to the main bus station.

In 2015 the toilet went up for sale at an auction for around £198,000.

Bought by the owners behind The Loft Bar, the site is hidden from the usual passers-by and in fact, if you didn’t know it existed, you’d walk past it.

That’s exactly what I did when I returned to Canterbury before the pandemic with old university friends.

Confused as to why my friend was telling me the bar was on the right hand side, I kept walking around the next bend before being informed that the reservation for the evening was actually underground.

The only resemblance that things aren’t quite normal as you walk past is a security guard (turns out to be a bouncer) guarding two small doors and stairs that dive deep below the historic town.

If you walk past it late at night, you can also see glass windows that look directly into the bar, and although you can’t see inside, you can see disco lights when the bar is busy .

The hidden gem is located on the corner of Burgate and Lower Bridge Street and when busy the bar sells cocktails galore and has a 1920s theme.

If you’ve ever wanted to step back in time and feel like you’re visiting a speakeasy then this is the place for you in Kent.

Open until 2 a.m. and even 3 a.m. on certain evenings of the week, you can have a drink there, sheltered from the rest of the world.

According to their website, there is also live music and entertainment on the weekends.

The site can even be rented out for special occasions if you have a birthday or party coming up.

Sign up to get the latest stories from Kent straight to your inbox here.

Patrons of the recently closed Cider Press Cafe will have to spend the first few months of the new year patiently awaiting the launch of the all-new Cider Press Vegan Gastropub and Patio Bar, which is set to open in St. Pete’s historic Kenwood in just some months.

Co-owner Johan Everstijn told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that his construction team just broke ground on the new location this week and is building an entire kitchen from scratch. The space at 3118 3rd Ave. N was home to popular gay club Georgie’s Alibi until it closed in 2015.

Although Everstijn and fellow co-owner Roland Strobel were evicted from their old 600 block location after the landlord failed to honor their lease, the duo are taking the opportunity to reinvent Cider Press into something completely different.

“We want to take this time to transform into something more like a late-night hangout,” Everstijn told CL.

With licenses, permits and construction underway, Everstijn says he’s currently in the kitchen working on the upcoming gastropub’s hearty English menu. While popular dishes from the old location, like shrimp po’boys and burgers, will still be offered in the new Kenwood space, the new location’s menu will be new and unexpected.

“The dishes I’m most excited about are the ones I haven’t made yet,” Everstijn laughs. “I want to focus on some entrees where vegetables are the star, but the menu itself will be full of fun, fun dishes.”

He even consulted friends who live in England to really get to grips with that friendly neighborhood pub atmosphere.

You can expect vegan versions of English dishes like Lentil Shepherd’s Pie, Coronation Chicken Salad, Fish and Chips and Chicken Fried Steak on the menu. Cider Press started as an all-raw vegan restaurant in 2016, so its hearty new menu marks significant culinary growth.

While there are no scheduled hours for the new location yet, the focus will be on late-night dining, live entertainment, and a full-service bar stocked with wine, beer and specialty cocktails – brand new territory for Cider Press.

David Fischer, the man behind popular bars St. Pete Cocktail and The Saint, will be responsible for the interior design of the new vegan gastropub.

“Imagine what every vegan restaurant in St. Petersburg looks like…. the new Cider Press will be the opposite of that,” says Everstijn.

Renderings show the 2,275-square-foot restaurant will also feature a small stage inside, which will host a range of entertainment, from karaoke to live music to drag shows. Unfortunately, no live shows will take place on the approximately 400 square foot outdoor patio, due to St. Petersburg’s residential noise ordinance.

Although the interior of Cider Press is Fischer and features “sexy and dim” lighting, many aspects of the gastropub will honor the legacy left by Georgie’s Alibi when it closed in 2015. The gay club was known for their large garage door and their outdoor seating, aspects that will be on full display when the new Cider Press debuts.

According to Everstijn, Georgie’s Alibi was also known for its rotating drink specials like its Tuesday night Long Island iced teas. Cider Press will eventually implement programs that honor the legacy of the now-closed gay club, mimicking some of the popular specialties they previously offered.

There is no doubt that Cider Press Cafe was a mainstay on the 600 block of Central Avenue and one of many local businesses that were evicted due to rapidly rising rent prices.

When asked what he thought Block 600 would look like in a few years, Everstijn replied, “every other door will be a pizzeria, and eventually it might just be empty storefronts. The only people who can pay rent are chains or disguised chains.

Notably, the restaurant that will open at the former Central Avenue location of Cider Press is a Sicilian-style Italian restaurant.

While there is no scheduled opening date in place, the new Cider Press Vegan Gastropub and Patio Bar will debut in the spring of 2022, likely ahead of the St. Pete’s Pride Parade in June.

Keep up to date with the latest menu updates and previews by visiting @ciderpresscafestpete on Facebook and following @cider_press_gastropub on Instagram.

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI — A Charlottetown restaurant gets a new identity as it undergoes a facelift and rebranding.

Outriders Cookhouse, which has operated in Sherwood Business Park for nearly a decade, will reopen as Coach’s Sports Bar and Restaurant.

“We came up with a vision to tidy up what used to be here, which was Outriders, and give it a facelift with a new decor downstairs, a new name, a new menu,” said Isaac Pitre, general manager. of Coach’s, during an interview.

“We are in a growing community, and we see it as a place that will continue to grow. In terms of restaurants, there isn’t much here. Boston Pizza and Montana’s are nearby, but many places are either out of town or downtown.

Coaches will be divided into two levels. The lower level will function as a pub-style restaurant for those wishing to have a sit-down meal, socialize with friends or family, and listen to live music. There will also be televisions for those who want to watch the game in a more relaxed environment.

The second level will house Coach’s dedicated sports bar, which will feature TVs, a bar, seating for people to congregate and later hours than the restaurant – remaining open until 12 p.m. every evening.

“If anyone wants to come here, sit at the bar and have beers, they’re welcome. It might be a little louder with the games going on, it’s a different type of crowd. low, it checks the boxes for whoever it is,” Pitre said.

In March 2021, Kent Scales, co-owner of the Olde Dublin Pub, Claddagh Oyster House and The Local, bought Outriders and operated it until December 28 when it was closed for refurbishment.

The restaurant has since been gutted from top to bottom to make way for the new dining room as well as the new upstairs bar.

“It’s going to have the same top-down feel, kind of a rustic industrial feel to tie it to the industrial park,” said Marly Anderson, project manager. “It’s more of a pub vibe, I think. It will be comfortable for whoever enters.

Incorporating this industrial environment around the restaurant, as well as the history of the area, was important when creating the Coach’s brand, Pitre said.

“The name is not only related to sport, but also touches on the history of railways in the region,” he said. “The old Prince Edward Island Railway passed through here. The coach is a transport system and it somehow connects the old railway with the current industrial vibe. It was also a central area where people came to congregate in the community, so we wanted to add a place for people to do just that.

As well as a meaningful brand and pub-style presentation, Pitre said they want to keep things fresh, local and consistent when it comes to their food.

“I find that in Prince Edward Island a lot of people like to support local products, but with the chains a lot of them don’t bring local products like Larkin Farms chicken or MacQuarrie’s Meats , getting it all fresh from the harvest,” he said. “Everything will be fresh and homemade as much as possible,” Anderson added, “so you’re getting something a little higher than typical pub food.”

Both Anderson and Pitre said they want to source as much local produce as possible, including food, drink and even entertainment.

As for Coach’s opening date, Pitre said they’re aiming for mid-to-late February. The restaurant is still under construction, with the lower level of the restaurant largely empty.

Outside of construction, the restaurant is in the process of hiring staff, which they need much more with the new upstairs space.

“It’s just a bigger operation than what’s been here in the past,” Anderson said. “We think we’re going to be pretty busy even with COVID-19. There is a lot of space to spread over the two levels, so we need more staff to open everything.

So far, the response to the change has been positive, and despite creating a new menu and revamping the restaurant as a whole, Pitre said there was one thing they wouldn’t change.

“What will remain the same is the relationship with the customer,” he said. “I know when people came to Outriders they loved it because when they walked in the door people knew their name, and that’s not going to change. We are equally motivated in this aspect. Obviously, there are changes, but it’s up to others to give us a chance.

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Things to know

• To follow the evolution and the possible opening of the Coach’s Restaurant and Sports Bar, follow his Facebook page

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Cody McEachern is a business reporter with the SaltWire Network in Prince Edward Island.

Twitter.com/CodyInHiFi

A drive along historic Illinois Route 66 guarantees that you will find something unique. Whether it’s a roadside attraction like Henry’s Rabbit Ranch or a museum like the Route 66 Association Hall of Fame & Museum, there’s always a fascinating and nostalgic place to stop along the way. And if you’re hungry, well, there are restaurants you won’t find anywhere else in the world like DeCamp Station, a place to eat, drink, have fun, play sports, and a bit of history.

In these uncertain times, keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket-to-visit list at a later date.

Have you visited DeCamp Station, a unique sports bar in Illinois on Route 66? Tell us in the comments! For more information, including location, times and menu, visit DeCamp station website and Facebook page.

Another restaurant worth a stop along historic Illinois Route 66 is Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket, a local favorite since the 1940s.

The bar, located across from Brothers, features themes from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s.

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Iowa City has an impressive nightlife scene and a loyal Hawkeyes fan base determined to capitalize on it, making the bars in high demand. A new bar, named Roxxy, opened at 127 E. College St. to answer the call.

The bar, decorated with cassette walls, seeks to celebrate the 80s, 90s and early 2000s.

One of the many things that sets Roxxy apart is his music, said Julia Necker, bartender at Roxxy.

“The music is very different from any other bar in Iowa City, like you go to the bars and hear the same songs, but it’s a bit of a throwback,” Necker said.

Roxxy manager Tetyana Kedyk said the bar offers a bit of variety to the options already available to Iowa City residents. There, the music ranges from disco to pop to classic rock.

Kedyk said the theme was inspired by a bar the owner visited in California.

“The atmosphere of the bar he was in inspired this vision of reviving the 80s and early 2000s, but in one place, and filling it with interesting decor that isn’t the thing. the most ordinary, ”Kedyk said. “Her goal is to provide a place where everyone can come and everyone is welcome and everyone is different. “

Different is a perfect way to describe this bar, which is full of unique works of art designed to recall one of the cultural cornerstones of each respective decade. From guitars and even a full drum set hanging from the ceiling to the ceramic molds of the twins of The brilliant, the decor of this bar is impossible to ignore and perhaps its most alluring attribute.

“We want to stick to the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, so we just rotate things that happened during those times and focus on different types of art,” Kedyk said. “We’ve been collecting art for over two years, so sometimes we have themed weeks with it. “

Roxxy has a DJ in the house every Thursday, Friday and Saturday so Kedyk said the bar is a great place to host private events.

Regarding events open to the public, Kedyk explained that Roxxy will start scheduling more themed events as soon as the public starts giving their opinion on what they would like to see from the bar.

University of Iowa student Paige Levich said she enjoyed the atmosphere and her time at Roxxy.

“I thought Roxxy was so much fun and the vibe was great,” Levich said. “I feel like karaoke could be fun, they could also have a place for some relaxed live music.”

Roxxy also has branches in Des Moines and Cedar Falls, as well as several sister companies, including The Stuffed Olive and Double Tap. CEO Darren Beck, who Kedyk says opened his first nightclub when he was just 19, has been in the business for over 20 years now.

Thanks to Roxxy, Beck brings together his love for the nightlife and his love for the 80s, 90s and early 2000s to create a perfect venue for anyone who loves retro music and appreciates design.

CLEVELAND – Country music sensation Chase Rice will be opening a new country bar in Cleveland.

Although his name was not mentioned in the press release announcing the opening of the bar, Jason Kipnis tweeted that he was involved in the business with Rice.

The duo are teaming up with Forward Hospitality Group to open “Welcome to the Farm” at Flats East Bank.

The bar will offer live music, drinks and food.

“We’ve been working on this for a while and I’m delighted to finally be able to reveal the secret to everyone,” Rice said. “I had a lot of fun discovering another side of the entertainment and hospitality industry and making my mark on things at Welcome to the Farm. I look forward to welcoming you all in December!

Rice said he chose to open the bar in Cleveland because his father grew up in Columbus and played football for Ohio State University.

“Not only is Ohio special to me as an artist and because of my father’s connection to the region, but Cleveland is also a very inspiring city as a musician,” Rice said. “It’s great to know that we’ll only be a mile and a half from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which is home to the likes of the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Nirvana, Tom Petty and many more who have all had a huge impact on my career.

Welcome to the Farm will open in December.

The bar will be located at 1054 Old River Road.