Longtime neighborhood gathering spot bought and reopened by patrons

Neighborhood watering holes can be more than places to imbibe with friends. Especially for small towns, they can be part of the community’s identity. Norwood has Quatman Café, Silverton has the Silverton Café, Cheviot has Maury’s Tiny Cove.

In the village of Woodlawn that place was the Pike Bar and Grill, affectionately known as The Pike.  When it closed abruptly last November after 24 years in business, the regulars, as well as the broader community, felt the loss of a neighborhood staple.

“It was like a ‘Cheers’ place,” says Crystal Chambliss. She grew up nearby and runs a day care within walking distance. Two or three time a week, she says, she would stop in for lunch or after hours for a drink before heading home.

But Chambliss didn’t just mourn its closing. She saw an opportunity. Along with her husband, Tony, and another long-time patron of The Pike, Willie Norton, a former Woodlawn council member, she bought the business and reopened it earlier this summer.

Now called Pike 2 Bar and Grill, the place has been remodeled, the patio cleaned up, and the menu freshened. The goal was to keep history, good vibes, and nostalgia associated with The Pike, while creating a welcoming environment for new patrons.

“Trying to keep it like it was, but just a fresher look,” she says.

So trivia night, karaoke, bingo, and live music are back. A handful of the former employees have been rehired. “As soon as we heard officially, we were all ready to go, we were so ready to come back,” says Kendra Holt, a returning bartender.

A grand opening, featuring drink specials, was held Aug. 10, and radio personality Lincoln Ware, who frequented karaoke night, recently broadcast his show from the bar.

Buying the business almost on a whim has turned out well so far, as customers have responded with gratitude for the return of a staple of the neighborhood. “I’ve never been hugged so much,” Chambliss says.

Read more about Hamilton County's small towns in the Soapbox series "First Suburbs -- Beyond Borders."