Within the first few weeks of the school year, bargoers of Ames tend to fall back into their old weekend routines: Students swarm Welch Avenue, while professors and young professionals prefer Main Street. Whiskey River, set to reopen soon, hopes to change that.

“We are going to be an everybody’s bar,” Nicki Romare said, who purchased the establishment with her husband, Joe, in the summer of 2010 and has been working to fix it since. “We really want it to appeal to all age groups and all demographics.”

The Romares have created an eclectic atmosphere to match the mixed crowd they hope to attract. On the interior, exposed brick meets black and white wallpaper and green paint, and above a giant booth will hang an old car door and crystal chandelier.

“We kind of went outside the norm and used some different colors and different styles,” Nicki Romare said.

What’s familiar

The Romares tried to stay faithful to the Whiskey River name, which dates back to the 70s.

“Throughout the whole process we have respected the Whiskey River establishment,” Nicki Romare said. “Everybody has memories here.”

However, since the bar was closed due to concerns that the building was unsafe, a lot of work was required to bring the building up to code. Joe Romare said the interior basically had to be stripped. Though they hoped to keep elements such as the tin ceiling, only parts could be saved.

The overall atmosphere still will be casual, with materials such as wood, brick and colorful leather. Nicki Romare said they didn’t want it to feel too polished and cold, so don’t expect to find any plastic fixtures.

And some familiar decorations remain, such as a red bathtub and a mannequin hanging from the ceiling.

What’s new

Though the Main Street location is gridlocked between other storefronts, the addition of a garage door that can be opened on warm nights creates a patio atmosphere.

A menu of unique, homemade foods will be available daily.

The large windows will be left clear, so the kitchen, storage areas and kegs will be visible both from Main Street and inside the bar. This way, people will be able to see where their food is prepared.

Joe Romare said he hopes the bar will become known for great service. Both owners have worked in the service industry.

“This is what I’ve done my whole life, so that’s what I want to bring most to the table,” he said.