>>ย CONFIRMED: Century Bar moving to bigger space
Joe Head said he and business partner Diane Spitzig have signed a lease to move the Century Bar next door to the former Dayton Power and Light Building at 18 to 20 S. Jefferson St.
The Century Barย is currently location at 10 S. Jefferson St.
It dates back to 1942 under that name and in that location.
>>ย READ COMPLETE DETAILS HERE
** PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Dec. 18, 2018
The co-owner of one of downtown Daytonโs most celebrated establishments says the i's have not been dotted and the t's have not been crossed on a plan that would see the business move and more than double its size.
Joe Head of the Century Bar,ย 10 S. Jefferson St., said that media reports about the business' expansion into a space next door are premature.
"No papers have been signed,"ย Head said of the idea that would see the bar move into the formerย Dayton Power and Light Building at 18 to 20 S. Jefferson St. "We are close, but we've been close before."
If a deal is reached, the first floor of the building would be the new home of the Century Bar, downtown Daytonโs oldest bar.
โThe move would double our occupancy in the Century (part of the building) alone,โ Head said.
The new space would have 150 seats. The current space is about 1,700 square feet and has about 75 seats.
The bar is often filled to capacity.
Head estimated the three-story Dayton Power and Light building is at least 9,000 square feet.
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The building is in a 0.701 acre space, according to theย Montgomery County Auditors website.ย
Head said the second floor of the barโs new building would hold a separate cocktail and wine lounge, if plans move forward.
The third floor would eventually house event space.
Head said a deal for the space could be reached as early as this week with Fire Blocks District developerย Windsor Companies.
DOWNTOWNโS OLDEST BARย
The Century Bar has developed a reputation among the best bourbon bars in the nation.
In August, it was named one of Americaโs 100 Best Bourbon bars by The Bourbon Review for a sixth consecutive year.
>> RELATED:ย Century Bar scores yet ANOTHER national shout-out for its bourbon-bar excellence
The Centuryย dates back to 1942 under that name and in that location.
The locationโs history as a bar dates back even before then.
Steffenโs, a male-only โcoffee shop,โ opened three years after the Great Dayton Flood of 1913.
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KETTEโS PLAN CRUMBLES
Kette & Sons Rye Whiskey Distillery was established at the site in the 1890s and lasted until the flood.
The Century Barโs plans to open Kette's Kandies Spirited Treats, a Prohibition-era speakeasy-themed cocktail bar, never came to fruition as the Fire Blocks project fluttered under The Ellway Group, its former developer.
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Windsor took over what had been a stalled development last summer, reportedly hoping to reinvigorate commercial and residential work on both sides of Third Street between St. Clair and Jefferson streets.
>> BACKGROUND:ย New Fire Blocks developer starts work on $35M project
The projected new site is between the Centuryโs current building and the headquarters ofย Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Miami Valley, 22 S. Jefferson St.
THE NEXT CENTURY?
Head said developers have expressed interest in using the Centuryโs current space as part of a restaurant.
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If the deal is reached, Head said the Century could quickly move into the new space.
โWe are not going to change anything. It is going to be the same decor, the same colors,โ Head said.ย โWe just want to make the Century more functional.โ
A special bourbon bar would be added for โbourbon nerds.โ
โWe are moving 16 feet away,โ Head said.ย โIf you are ever going to move, this is the best way to do it.โ
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