A new bar, called Blue Owl Bar, has joined Welch Avenue  in the building where the restaurant Golden Wok used to be.

Along with the new bar will be a breakfast diner called Dinky Diner. Michael Roberts and Jason Crimmins, owners of Charlie Yoke’s, created the two new businesses.

“What’s unique about it is that it’s been Golden Wok for a long time,” Crimmins said. “I don’t believe a lot of people have been in the building. I kind of think of it as kind of a hidden gem on Welch. It’s a nice space … [and with] the work we’ve done, we’ve made it nice — it’s a clean, comfortable environment.”

The pair hopes to create a more relaxed atmosphere for college students in contrast with the lively atmosphere of Charlie Yoke’s.

“We’ve had Charlie Yoke’s for a little over a year, and that’s a good-time party — kind of a crazy party,” Crimmins said. “[At Blue Owl] we’re looking for more of a more relaxed [place to] come out with your buddies, your girlfriends, whatever … to Welch, and you have someplace quieter to hang out or to start your evening.”

This development is coming at an interesting time for Campustown, since the building Charlie Yoke’s currently occupies may be torn down in the near future by Kingland Systems to make room for office space.

The two owners are still in the process of finding Charlie Yoke’s a new home, Crimmins said, but they are excited about the new additions to Campustown.

“I’m all for revitalization to the Campustown area,” Roberts said. “The Blue Owl Bar will be a great addition to the Campustown area. It will be more of a chill-out bar that’s off the Welch Avenue scene.”

The co-owners put the bar together on short notice after learning the Golden Wok space would be available for lease. Crimmins said it took about 10 days to get the bar up and running, but there’s still work to be done.

“We’re about 90 percent done,” Crimmins said.

The ongoing renovations will be completely finished by Sept. 15, the weekend of the Iowa-Iowa State football game.

In addition to putting finishing touches to the building, Crimmins and Roberts will be playing around with different specialties such as a wine night or martini night, and putting together a drink menu.

“I like to think of it as a bar with a drink menu,” Crimmins said.

The name Blue Owl Bar is loosely based on an old social club called the Mysterious Order of the Night Owls, or the Mono Clan. It was a club for young businessmen in the early 1900s in Ames.

“I just kind of like the imagery of the night owl — that’s kind of where it came from,” Crimmins said.

Either the Elks Club or the Moose Club eventually absorbed the club, because liquor was prohibited in the Mono Clan, Crimmins said.

Roberts and Crimmins hope both the restaurant and bar will be bringing something unique to Welch Avenue.

“I think both locations provide a missing service to the Campustown area,” Roberts said.

The co-owners have not officially decided the hours of Blue Owl, but the Dinky Diner will be open in the mornings as well as serving late night food Thursday through Saturday until 4 a.m.