Printer’s Alley is getting a new, down-to-earth bar. Owned and operated by Gary Bowie and Mike Penner, The Cellar Bar will fill a gap in the downtown marketplace as an affordable spot to grab a drink.
Nashville Business Journal reports that The Cellar Bar will in some ways build on the idea originally established by The Beer Sellar on 107 Church St. After it joined the neighborhood in 1996, The Beer Sellar quickly became a local favorite. The Christmas Day bombing of the building in 2020 unexpectedly forced the bar to close.
While inspired by that bar’s concept, The Cellar Bar is bringing something new to Third Ave.
What Now Nashville spoke with both Bowie and Penner over the phone.
Bowie shared that he has owned the building in Printer’s Alley for 12 years. He bought the building one floor at a time. The level being converted into The Cellar Bar was previously a law office.
“We’ve tried to keep the space as Old World as we could,” said Bowie. “All of the wood we’ve used has come from mills, so nothing is pre-fabricated. We have imported Depression glass from France that has imperfections all throughout. With everything we’re doing, we intend to respect the history of the building and what it represents.”
Bowie has partnered with Mike Penner, who worked closely with The Beer Sellar before it was destroyed. With The Cellar Bar Bowie and Penner have set out to create a similarly unassuming hangout for people to play a game of darts, watch sports on TV with friends, or just drink a beer.
In a conversation with Penner, What Now Nashville learned more details about The Cellar Bar’s proposed offerings.
The Cellar Bar will have 20 draft beers for guests to try. There will be a robust selection of liquor at the bar as well as small bites, snacks and sandwiches on the menu.
There will be no frills, no complicated drink menus, and nothing pretentious in The Cellar Bar. Designed to be welcoming and accommodating of everyone, The Cellar Bar will have dedicated spaces for people to recreate but will be, above all else, a place for people to grab a drink.
Approximately 120 people can be accommodated in The Cellar Bar. There will be an L-shaped bar, booths, and bar seating along the windows. There will be a 6-foot by 15-foot outdoor patio as well.
“The Cellar Bar has really been built from the ground up,” said Penner. “The space started as an empty shell, and we are excited to see it filled with people in the next few weeks.”
The team at The Cellar Bar is finishing up construction and working to finalize permits. They will be working on painting and decorating in the lead up to a projected opening in late June.
