A well-known MainStrasse watering hole is turning over a new leaf. After 26 years, Pachinko Bar is transforming into a chic and breezy West Coast-inspired drinking establishment called Green House Bar.
The new bar officially opens on Saturday, Aug. 15, and will offer a trendy spot for visitors to "kick back, relax, have good conversation and a little tomfoolery.”
Owned by husband and wife duo Amy and Tom Fessler, when designing the space and menu, they found a great deal of inspiration from a vacation to California's Venice Beach.
"People need a getaway — to hide a little bit if you will, now more than ever," Amy says in an email interview.
The menu offers several seasonal cocktails, like Amy's Paloma and The Green House, a vodka, lemon and lavender cocktail, plus classic cocktails, craft nonalcoholic beverages and a petite list of wines. In addition to sips, they also have a few light bites like pimento cheese and charcuterie.
The bar's general manager, Robert Cate, previously worked as the food and beverage manager at Hotel Covington. Cate focused on sustainability while developing the bar program at Green House, modeling his approach with his "pineapple example," Amy says.
"We want to use all parts to their fullest extent. We’ll use the fronds as a garnish, the husk will be composted and used in soil to grow herbs for our future menus. We’ll use the juice in a cocktail, and the remains of the juicing process will be infused into a spirit for another cocktail. We try to apply this concept to every ingredient used," Cate explains.
Green House Bar will feature outdoor seating options in their covered patio and courtyard. Amy also notes that all patrons can expect table service.
Amy and Tom are no strangers to the businesses-owner life — Tom was previously the owner of Pachinko's before it became the Green House Bar, and Amy owns Soho Boutique and The Spotted Goose on the East Side of town.
But the dream team doesn't just stop with them; they've instilled a hunger for entrepreneurship in their children, too.
"Our kids ran a hotdog stand all summer — they are also a part of everything we do!" Amy says.
She also explains that Tom's parents were supporters in their journeys as well. "We work hard and pay it forward as much as we possibly can," she says.
Green House Bar is located at 424 W. Sixth St., Covington.
