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New downtown Mooresville bar is a throwback to speakeasy days
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Published: November 27, 2009
Like the underground clubs that sprang up during Prohibition, the first real bar to open on Main Street will be a throwback to the speakeasies of the 1920s, where the nightlife was swinging and the booze bought on the sly.
While it won't be necessary to bribe the doorman, know the special knock or utter a secret password to get inside, The Bathtub Gins of Mooresville will reflect an era associated with flappers, gangsters, prosperity and jazz.
Stamped tin ceilings, rough floorboards and exposed brick walls will bring back the ambience of dimly lit backrooms where bootleggers smuggled in grain alcohol once distilled in tubs.
Owners Gary Greene and Dave Ogden had no plans for the roaring twenties bar theme when they started looking for a location two years ago. But the idea emerged during their first walk through of the two-story building at 166 N. Main St. this past summer.
When Ogden peeked behind the drop ceiling, and discovered metal tiles, most likely predating the 18th amendment -- banning the sale and manufacture of alcohol -- in 1920, he knew he had found the place he needed.
"When I saw original tin ceiling panels, I was sold on the building and I could just see the potential," said Ogden, who signed the lease for the building in September that formerly housed Pat's Coffee Shop.
After several months of ripping out what has been covered over multiple times by many owners in the approximately 100 year life of the building, Ogden and Greene believe they have worked their way down to the original layers.
Greene removed the carpet, then the tile, and finally the tar paper to reveal pinewood flooring. From the walls they peeled off paneling, plaster, and wallpaper to uncover a layer of bricks. Ogden stripped off the false ceiling, repairing more than 100 holes and painted the decorative tin tiles.
Not only have they done all the work themselves, but they have also added a polished oak bar, painted the back wall a deep red, and hung brass chandeliers to recreate an authentic feel. They plan to open the ground level today with business hours likely to be 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekdays, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday and noon to 2 a.m. on Sunday.
Because The Bathtub Gins of Mooresville is licensed to be exclusively a bar and will not serve food, the state considers the establishment a private club which requires a membership fee. Greene says the membership fee will be nominal and good for a lifetime. He also says the owners are giving away memberships until they are officially open.
While The Bathtub Gins of Mooresville is the first true bar to open on Main Street, there are also two restaurants, Soiree and The Prickly Pear, which have bars and serve alcohol. In addition, The Daily Grind -- opening soon next door for breakfast and lunch -- will serve beer and wine.
Ogden, who owns Tremont Music Hall in Charlotte and Liquid Records in Cornelius, says their bar will have live entertainment and they hope to someday host block parties and NASCAR events. Within a year, they also plan to open the upper level, but are waiting on the town to install a new waterline so they can then put in a sprinkler system to meet town fire codes.
"The new waterline is a really big deal to us; we have a whole upstairs that we can't even touch yet. Once we open upstairs we will triple our capacity," explained Greene. The ground level now has capacity for 80.
Both Ogden and Greene live in Mooresville. Ogden came to the area 10 years ago from Chicago and Greene arrived from Michigan in 1981. Greene, an industrial maintenance mechanic by trade, was recently laid off from Philip Morris but says this new venture is unrelated to those circumstances.
"This thing just lined up perfectly, like it was meant to be," said Greene.
Building owner Catherine Scholten says the community is excited about getting more nightlife in Mooresville, "Any business that brings something new to downtown is really a thrill."
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