Oldfield’s North Fourth Tavern owner Dan Starek will bring an old school dive bar to what used to be Eddie George’s event space. Rounding out the lineup of tenants filling up the Gateway, Leo’s on the Alley aims for that Cheers vibe, offering a place for regulars to come every day of the week.
Starek knows the space well. He worked at Eddie George’s from 2010 to 2012. The 2,500 square feet gives him enough space for a full bar, some wall-hugging booths, and a pool table. Entertainment will range from tunes off the juke box to Buckeye games on the TVs, to acoustic live music. All comes together to create “a place where people can go, have a few drinks, and relax,” Starek said.
“Talking to people I’ve found they really want a place they can go to seven nights a week, whether they’re wearing sweatpants after they study for their finals, or whether they’re going on a date, in a dress and a tux,” Starek added, “A place where all the bartenders know their name and what they want to drink.”
Leo’s on the Alley aims to fill that campus dive bar void left by Bernie’s, and soon, Too’s Under High. Gateway Property Manager Christiana Moffa said the move was strategic, meant to make the Gateway a range of experiences that can connect university students with the rest of the city.
“When we blend all these groups together, it really provides opportunities for them to come and be entertained, and to have good access to craft beer and good food and great independent films and local watering holes,” Moffa said. “A property that, I think, once used to really focus completely on the students is now focusing on a diverse demographic that allows anyone from any age to come here and find somewhere to go and something to do.”
Starek said he’d like to open Leo’s on the Alley as soon as possible, but it’ll definitely be open by the end of the month, when the first Buckeye game is scheduled to kick off. Once open it’ll operate from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily, and will open four hours before kick-off on game days. It’s located at 25 Chittenden.
For more information, visit leososu.com.
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