London

Downtown Hot Spot Gets Makeover

One of downtown London's most popular nightclubs is transforming into a brew pub, featuring a craft brewery in what was once an underground parking garage.

The owner of Jim Bob Ray's, Mike Smith, is in the process of building a brewery and adding a kitchen to the bar on Richmond Row in hopes of appealing to a larger crowd.

The goal is to offer craft beer, ciders and local food pairings during the day, all while keeping the party atmosphere after 11pm at night.

"We want to do everything from bus tours in the afternoon, family dinners and then get a little bit younger at the night. We want to sample food with the beer, we've done a bunch of bus tours and corporate events already. We want to make it an all purpose building so it can kind of be whatever it wants to be that day," Smith tells BlackburnNews.com. "It's a growing thing and it's a fun thing. People like the fact that it's made on the premise and you're doing something different all the time."

Smith is the long-time owner of Joe Kools, P Za Pie, Fellini Koolini's.

The bar is currently open during renovations and Smith is hopeful all will be complete come the winter.

[gallery columns="2" ids="352600,352602,352601,352604,352603"]

 

 

Read More Local Stories

Detail blue line with puck on ice hockey rink. © Can Stock Photo / fotoduki

Scoreboard, April 19

Carolina Hurricanes beat the Ottawa Senators 2-0 on Saturday to open their first-round playoff series.

Snow possible this weekend

Environment Canada is anticipating a cold front to sweep through the region, with a small chance of flurries on Sunday evening, potentially continuing into Monday.

Flooding along the Thames River in downtown Chatham on September 24, 2021. (Photo by Matt Weverink)

Flooding in downtown Chatham

The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority is reporting some flooding in downtown Chatham and more could be on the way.