The guys behind the Flying Burrito Co. are getting into the bar business.
Archie Schaffer, Mike Rohrbach and partner Ben Merryman plan to open a new bar called Kingfish in the old Smiling Jack’s location just off Dickson Street at 262 N. School Ave. in early March.
According to the owners, Kingfish will have a dive bar feel.
“We hope Kingfish will be the anti-martini bar,” Schaffer said. “I mean, we’ll have martinis if you want them, but that won’t be our thing.”
Schaffer said Kingfish will have a full liquor menu, and plans to offer inexpensive beers in a laid-back atmosphere.
“We’ll have all the beers a dive bar should have. Schlitz, Papst, Old Style, High Life on Tap. Natural Light. Can we get Natural Light?” Schaffer asked Rohrback.
Kingfish sign going up
The name came from a Randy Newman song, but other coincidences Rohrback and Schaffer came across helped seal the deal.
“We found a really cool logo from an old defunct produce company in California named Kingfish whose copyright had expired,” Schaffer said. “There’s also an old boxer from the 30’s named Kingfish Levinsky that there is some cool history around. We’re gonna paint him on the bathroom door.”
Kingfish will feature an internet jukebox as well as a fenced-in, grassy area behind the building for yard games and, eventually, live music.
“We’ll have bocce ball, baggo, and a bimini ring game that’s really fun,” Schaffer said. “We’ve also got an electronic shuffleboard game for the inside that is really awesome.”
Flying Burrito Co. on Spring St. will deliver food to the bar, though some of the details like how late food will be delivered are still being finalized.
Renovations on the space are underway, and Schaffer said he hopes to have them completed for an March 6 opening date.
