By Amanda Soine
Do you often find yourself discouraged by the bar scene in Menomonie? Are you longing for a place that serves a wide variety of wine and a serene atmosphere to accompany it? Need a place you can go to with co-workers after a long day to just relax? Then The Barrel Bar will most likely be the place for you.
Rick and Mary Bygd are the new proud owners of The Barrel Bar, a quaint new wine bar that is currently in development. This bar is the first of its kind in Menomonie. Co-owner Mary Bygd is very excited to bring this type of bar to not only the city of Menomonie but to Main Street as well. The Barrel Bar will be located at 320 Main Street East where the boutique MsEllanious used to be.
“There is no tasting room in our geographic area with the exception of the Cottage Winery, which is north of Menomonie,” Mary Bygd said. “Our niche is that we will offer a comfortable and convenient location where we will build relationships and expand on the many relationships that already established in the community.”
If you are new to drinking wine and feel like this would not be the right atmosphere for you, Bygd argues otherwise.
“We will welcome anyone who has a passion for wine and also anyone who is willing to spend some of their disposable income on wine,” said Bygd.
The Barrel Bar is already planning on collaborating with other local businesses and organizations such as Zanzibar and even the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts for events and specials. They also want to acknowledge local area artists in various ways.
“We will also offer ‘Artists of the Month,’ where artists can display and sell their work at our bar, thereby always giving us a fresh look,” explains Bygd.
If you are still not convinced this place is for you, then maybe their knowledge about wine and their price points will sway you otherwise. Bygd promises that they will provide quality wine all while being mindful of their clientele’s budget. Bottles of wine will be kept within the $8 to $50 range, with glasses of wine varying.
The Byrds hope to open The Barrel Bar sometime in August 2014. Cheers to Menomonie getting a bar that surely will age just as fine as its products.