Despite construction in the area, 39 Below owner Carolyn Maloney is ready to open her second business on Parsons Avenue. The Olde Oak, a bar-restaurant with southwest flair, will open at the end of the month. The concept was a collaborative effort, conceptualized by local artist Paul Giovis and executed by Maloney and local chef Lara Ranallo.
“Paul Giovis created a giant mural inside [the building], and that was actually his concept,” Maloney said. “Once we got involved with it, we started to fall in love with the concept, and I brought on the chef that made the menu for Surly Girl — Lara Ranallo.”
While The Olde Oak will have a southwestern theme, guests won’t exactly feel like they’re entering a saloon. Maloney plans a more subtle motif with the mural as the focal point. Located at 62 Parsons Ave., the restaurant offers space for 15 tables and a bar that seats 20 people. Although construction has taken over the sidewalks for now, Maloney said a patio will offer more seating come spring.
The menu is largely vegan but also offers “really approachable food.”
“I thought it was really important in this neighborhood that we have a menu that spans different generations,” Maloney said. “So, it takes kind of, like, Gen X classics and modernizes them, and it’s got a little southwest flair.”
While she plans to add weekday lunch and weekend brunch after construction ceases in the area, Maloney said The Olde Oak will focus on dinner to start, opening at 4 p.m. on Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, the dinner menu will be available at noon.
Offering a full bar, The Olde Oak will focus heavily on local spirits. It’ll have 15 taps for local draft beers as well.
“It’s gonna be the kind place where you can come in and get a $2 whiskey, but you can also come in and not be afraid to order a Manhattan or a glass of wine there,” Maloney said.
Once the orange barrels and cones disappear, Maloney sees foot traffic picking up again, especially with neighbors like Cornerstone Craft Beer & Wine, Awol Bar, and Upper Cup.
The Olde Oak will have a soft opening at the end of November and will celebrate a grand opening a month later.
For more information, visit theoldeoak.com.