SPRINGFIELD, IL – Do you know “The Spot?”
More than the weekend hangout, this new iteration of a classic Irish Tap House will have you zooming back in time before hipster mustaches, low rise jeans and the original Blackberry phones. The ones with the keyboards.
No, Finley’s Tap House has tripped through time and fallen into the ’90s with a new theme and new sports bar menu at The Spot, a gentle nod to a previous business which operated in downtown Springfield during the same era.
“The Spot 90’s Bar and Grill” held their grand opening on June 17 at 3236 Ginger Creek Drive serving handcrafted cocktails, milkshakes and sundaes to beat the summer heat.
Food included battered fish and chips, handmade pizza with fresh ingredients, fried chicken burgers and Finley’s favorite – cheese curds.
The very first thing customers will see walking through the doors is something once normal to find at restaurants: a payphone.
The bar is still owned by Finley’s longtime owner Jordan Blevins, who closed down The Tap House on May 11 to make way for the new theme and decorations.
The idea came around December, when general manager Jessica Herbert raised the idea of a ’90s themed gastropub to Blevins and co-owner Chip Kennedy.
After closing for a month, a transformation back into time happened with smothered walls and a checkerboard print straight out of an MTV backdrop along with a Jerry Seinfeld and a Hulk Hogan cut out around the corner.
Blevins said some major reasons for the change to the theme was following the success of his Arizona-based business Sage & Barrel Craft Eatery, Finley’s services had been slowing down in competition with other sports bars across the west side.
To Blevin it was a moment of differentiating from the narrative or closing down.
“It took me a little while to wrap my head around what is a ’90s restaurant?” Blevins laughed. “The comments said the same thing; they’ll have to come in here and find out … I realized this is going to work, this is going to be cool.”
The restaurant is open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The State Journal-Register. She was not alive during the 90s but can hear about your nostalgia at CLGrant@usatodayco.com; and on X (Formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: A Springfield tap house has transformed into a ’90s themed gastropub
Reporting by Claire Grant, Springfield State Journal-Register / State Journal-Register
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By Claire Grant, Springfield State Journal-Register | USA TODAY Network
