John Barleycorn comes back to Old Town
John Barleycorn must die. Or so goes the English folk song celebrating Barleycorn as the grain that must be “killed” to create alcohol.
But in Wichita, it turns out you can’t keep a good Barleycorn down.
Curt Melzer is changing the name of his Blue Lounge at 608 E. Douglas back to John Barleycorn’s. That’s the name the bar went by from 1999 to 2006, when Melzer moved Barleycorn’s to the former River’s Edge space in Delano.
He realized that splitting his crowd between two bars “was not very cost effective” and decided to sell the Delano building to Michelle Borin, who now runs the Garage there.
Barleycorn’s will celebrate its grand re-opening Friday with a show by Virgin Mary Satellite and Elephant Gun. Skrapyard plays there Saturday.
“Why are we changing back?” Melzer said. “John Barleycorn’s always had a good reputation for live music. We really kind of maintained that as we were doing the Blue Lounge. I wanted to bring the name back while increasing what we’re doing with live music.”
To that end, he’s putting in a bigger stage and better sound system, along with some new furniture and a fresh coat of paint.
He’s going to keep several features that have been popular at the Blue Lounge, including an open mic for local musicians on Monday and a trivia contest that he hosts on Wednesday. There will be live music on the weekends, along with the occasional midweek show, and a comedy night one Tuesday a month.
Melzer is a bar owner with a sense of history. Blue Lounge was the name of a nightclub that operated at the same address back in the 1940s and ’50s, while Barleycorn “just never dies. It just always comes back, including the name of our place.”
Encore Restaurant and Nightclub
Another local bar is also undergoing changes inside and out.
The former O’Briens Irish Pub next to Scotch & Sirloin has been bought by Michael Todd and Andy Ast and renamed Encore Restaurant and Nightclub.
The new owners plan to keep some things, like the popular 2-for-1 drinks on Tuesday “college night” and a live DJ on Saturday. They’re planning to expand the musical offerings during the week as well, with other DJs, MCs and perhaps live bands. They’ve put in a dance floor, too.
“They’re very open-minded musically,” general manager Rene Williams said.
Beginning Dec. 8, Encore will also start to feature sandwiches and other items made by Michael Gonzalez of the popular Metro Grill in Towne East Square, while keeping the pizza from the O’Brien’s menu. Nothing on the menu will cost more than $12, and Encore will open for lunch starting next month.
“We’re going to be a little like Oeno,” Todd said, referring to the Old Town wine bar and nightspot. “We’ll be kind of laid back during the day and get a little wilder at night. But also featuring great food.”
This story was originally published November 23, 2011 at 5:00 AM with the headline "John Barleycorn comes back to Old Town."