Campus’ favorite bar Too’s is closing, but its reincarnation won’t be too far off, in concept or name. Three’s, the third bar (for now) opened by local entrepreneur Scott Ellsworth, will open in the space that, until recently, was occupied by the Scarlet & Grey Cafe. Joining a handful of other bars on the block, Three’s will use the essential remnants from Too’s to add to the current campus bar culture.
“If it’s not in a basement, it can’t be Too’s,” Ellsworth said while ripping an old Scarlet & Gray beam from its socket. “You can’t really duplicate Too’s, because it’s a dive bar in a basement, so we’re going to do our best to keep what was here and incorporate what worked for us at Too’s.”
Other than being above ground, Three’s will have a similar vibe to its predecessor. Nightly live music performances, about a dozen TVs tuned to the day’s games, and, of course, a bar full of cheap booze will strike a familiar chord with the bar-hopping coeds. Patrons will recognize their bartenders, too, as Ellsworth plans to bring over the Too’s staff.
Too’s reputation won’t hurt either. Known to pack a house, Too’s’ loyal regulars will likely follow the business through its name and location changes. And, being around bars like the Little Bar, Ledo’s and Hendock’s will provide the newbie with overflow customers.
“We’re in a really, really good location,” Ellsworth said. “I think it can only help to have more cool bars in this area.”
Three’s might incorporate food into its service, one deviation from Too’s. Chris East, the executive chef at Ellsworth’s Short North bar, Barrel, is cooking up some menu ideas that can be made quickly, sold cheap, and keep Three’s patrons at Three’s. That menu is still in its early planning stages as East determines what left-behind kitchen equipment is in working condition.
For now, the focus is renovation. They’ve removed some walls and the “stripper mirrors;” they’ll add seating and bar tables near the stage for band onlookers and create new art for the walls.
Opening Three’s with business partners Cory Harmon and Jon White, Ellsworth expects the doors to open before the start of the next school year, aiming for July or August.
