Hole-y Crap!

Projects are ALWAYS ten times harder than they appear, especially when you're dealing with a 100 year old building.  Who would think that ALL the cinder block in this building would be filled solid with concrete, not hollow as any reasonable person would expect cinder block to be (that must be the way they did things back in the day... guess things really aren't made the way they used to be). So this week Chris and John tied their bandanas and went to work drilling the holes to run the plumbing.  Using a 50-pound core driller meant to be used vertically into the ground, they shouldered the damn thing and drilled through 8 inches of solid concrete managing somehow to operate the "Rambo" machine gun-like tool from the shoulder.   They finally managed to blast through the concrete creating the holes you see in this pic. Now we're ready to lay the pipes for plumbing.  We're hoping to have all the pipes laid next week for mid-term plumbing inspection shortly thereafter.  Once the plumbing goes in we can start concentrating on building the bar.  Once the bar is done we can focus on the interior decor and finally the new store front and outdoor patio. Once we are done, we will all drink...heavily. It all takes more time than you expect (of course) but we're still hoping for mid to late June completion. Oh, and the smiley face on the wall... that was Chris and John's way to show how happy they were to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. :-)=

In The Trenches

We got final Health Department approval to add our new bar and so the process begins!


One day of saw cutting which almost suffocated John THE MAN Heger (best plumber ever) & our beloved Chris with CO2 fumes AND created a literal river of mud in the Lower Lounge!) Next, a day of jack hammering and we finally reached dirt (which in our case is clay requiring a bit more jack hammering).   Hope to have the street level bar up and operational by mid June...but don't forget we're open during the renovation, jack hammering by day, serving beer & wine by night.   We're having some fun now!

Business As Usual

It's still business as usual at 98 Bottles, even as we begin our remodel.  We're maintaining our normal business hours (plus opening for a few extra Sunday events), and handling a lot of the current grunt work behind the scenes and after hours.

Still, you may have noticed a few small pieces of evidence that the building phase will begin soon...Exhibits A & B (notice the ladder and tape outlined on our floors):

But what's most important is still intact...Exhibit C:

Even during the planning phase, construction, and up to our official unveiling, 98 Bottles remains intact.  We're still your friendly, neighborhood bar with an impeccable drink selection and delicious dinner menu--and soon enough, we'll be your greatly improved friendly, neighborhood bar, with an outdoor patio and an even better space to boot!

Our Stamp Collection

No, we’re not turning into philatelists, those are the folks who collect the lovable, lick-able postage stamps issued by the post office.  We’re just trying to collect the multitude of city and county approval “stamps” required on our architectural drawings before we can begin construction.  They can be as difficult to obtain as a special edition 1 cent stamp from the earliest days of the USPS. So that you might benefit from our learning experience (should you ever decide to build or permit something) here are a few “stamp collecting” tips:

Here are the 4 stamps we've collected so far

THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM - Show up at the city planning office early, 15 minutes before they open is best.  You want to get the planners while they are still in good spirits before they’ve been crushed by cubical claustrophobia and inundated with general contractors, architects and engineers.  Besides, for every hour after opening you show up, you’ll probably have to wait three times as long to get your turn at the counter.

GO INTO YOUR SONG & DANCE – You can’t just present your plans you have to SELL them!  The truth is you are awarded or NOT awarded the coveted stamps sometimes based, in large part, on the whims of the planners you happen to get at the counter.  In fact, after a few rounds of “when did she tell you this?” and “why did he tell you that?” one of the planners readily confessed, “at least we’re consistent in our inconsistencies!”

MANNERS COUNT – The people behind the counter may hold all the power but don’t forget that they are still people.  They appreciate a friendly smile and a sincere hello and a self-deprecating demeanor.  Anyone who has been through the permitting process knows this.  That’s why you will see even the most seasoned architect or the burliest contractor act like humbled, bashful kids when they show up to the counter vying for their stamps.

DON’T GIVE UP OR GIVE IN – Part of the battle is being insistent, YOU know that what you want to do makes sense, your job is to convince THEM.

We have followed all these handy tips and STILL we sit waiting to get four more stamps needed to complete our collection. Here is one more tip; you have to go in order. In our case, CCDC’s waiting on Mechanical and Plumbing, Mechanical and Plumbing is waiting on Health and Health has put us off for a few days because of other “minor” projects ahead of us.  Hopefully by early next week we will have the whole thing “licked!”

To Our Health

Well, we submitted our plans to the Health Department this week and now we wait.   Hopefully no more than 7-10 days, then we’re off to get city approval and the final stage of the build out begins!  Keep your fingers crossed that we don’t run into too many snags.  We’re tying into all new plumbing that we put in a few months ago so that shouldn't’ be too complicated or raise any red flags, still when you’re dealing with local government bureaucracy, you never know!  We’re really getting excited to see the project take shape.  The feedback we’ve gotten from everyone has been super positive.  If all goes according to plan, in about 8 weeks you’ll be able to come by and enjoy a beer or glass of wine on our new outdoor patio, play a game on our new bar shuffleboard or just hang out in our newly remodeled digs. It’s been the support of all of you that has gotten us this far so we know what a difference it makes to have everyone pulling for us.  So keep your fingers crossed and say a toast To Our Health!  

Final Phase (Here We Go Again!)

In a couple of weeks we’ll be under construction again with the FINAL PHASE of our build-out.  We’ve been open 7 months now so it’s time to finish what we started.  This phase involves adding another bar in the Lower Lounge, opening up the storefront and adding two outdoor patios.   We’ll also be extending the Back Room by building a wall at the top of the stairs and opening up the wall behind the existing bar so you’ll be able to watch live music and other entertainment from the bar. Luckily this construction does not require near as much drawing and permitting as the original build-out so we should be done by early to mid-June.  And since WE'LL BE OPEN DURING CONSTRUCTION, the whole process shouldn’t be too disruptive.  When it’s done we’ll have a great neighborhood bar space downstairs (complete with bar shuffleboard) and an enhanced Back Room entertainment/event space.  Here are a couple of drawings of what it will look like.  Stop in and let us know what you think!

Never, Never, Never Give Up

A good friend gave us a magnet with this quote on it:

Never

Never

Never

Give

Up

It sits firmly attached to our office filing cabinet in clear view every single day.  An excellent magnet choice for a new business, don’t you think?  Sometimes we glance over and see those 5 simple words and…it helps somehow.  It was Winston Churchill who managed to express in 8 syllables what is so profoundly true.  That no matter what you’re dealing with in your life that makes you want to give up, DON’T! 

Cause once you’re in it, all you can really do is own it. You gotta  keep slogging along until you figure it out, overcome it, master it or, at the very least, embrace it.

Tenacity, after all, is way underrated.