RIVER FALLS – Lifelong River Falls resident Mike Kealy strutted into the old "Mainstreeter" building in River Falls a couple weeks ago. It smelled like fresh new paint as the color "Expressive Plum" was in the process of being added to the walls. There were drop cloths and brand-new unassembled tables spread out like yard ornaments in a rural Pierce County, Wis. yard. The long-legged athletic-looking Kealy was there as a favor to help his friend, Fred Barr, haul heavy new commercial kitchen equipment inside.

"You want to buy a bar?" said a wise-cracking Barr to Kealy with a disheveled look on his face as he was on all fours assembling the tables.

Barr, a longtime River Fall' resident, and his significant other, Colleen Gehring, bought Paddy's Pub & Boxty House in early November. They've been racking up 12-hour days in preparation of their new bar and grill opening.

"It's 100 different little things and putting your touch on it," said Gehring.

"Mainstreeters" was the name of the place from 1993 through 2021. It was sold and Paddy's  occupied the business for just under two years until Barr and Gehring purchased it.

"We spent a few weeks asking why we shouldn't call it Streeters and no one could come up with a reason why we shouldn't," said Barr. 

The temporary sign hanging outside of the newly christened "Streeters Bar and Grill" since early November used to read, "Coming Soon." As of Monday, this week, the sign is still temporary, but it currently reads, "Now Open."

"We're not necessarily trying to be Mainstreeters," said Barr, "But we're trying to be what they represented which was great vibes, great friends, and great food."          

The new "Streeters" is going to be a classic American restaurant and bar, according to the new owners.

"We'll be a little more 'from scratch' with the food than Mainstreeters was," said Gehring.

"But we're thinking about some throwback nights with some of the old menu items," said Barr.

It shouldn't be too difficult to conjure up some of the old Mainstreeter menu magic. Chef Jordan Java worked at Mainstreeter for six years and he'll have his derby hat back on in the kitchen at the new Streeters.

Gehring and Java work together on developing the menu items. They buy most of their ingredients from US Foods.

"They (US Foods) have a big commercial kitchen with chefs and they'll work with you to build your menu," said Gehring, “We’re really, really excited about it.”

Gehring's White Chicken Chili recipe took home first prize in the recent River Dazzle Chili Crawl competition, as voted by the patrons during the River Falls Chamber of Commerce annual event.

"I love having Java to work with and doing it together," said Gehring.

Barr and Gehring have been and still are property appraisers for their day jobs, but Gehring has also worked as a book keeper for numerous bars and restaurants for over 20 years. When Ziggy's in Stillwater came up for sale in late 2019, Gehring told Barr, "I've seen the numbers. We can make it work."

Barr told his future business partner and significant other, "But I don't want to work in a bar."

Barr ended up saying "yes" and since then, Fred Barr running a bar is like Michael Jordan wearing Nike or Cinderella wearing a glass slipper. It just fits. It is, ironically, his surname euonym. 

"My job is CIO," said Barr with a giggle. "Chief Imagination Officer. It's my job to push the envelope."

"It's my job to say 'no," replied an eye-rolling Gehring.

Owning a bar and restaurant can be hard work. According to an Ohio State University study, about 80% of bars and restaurants close within five years of opening; 60% go out of business within the first year.

"Accounting is huge," said Barr.

Former River Falls bar and restaurant Bo's N' Mine owner Cedric Ellingson, who now works with Barr and Gehring, said, "If I would've had Colleen (Gehring) doing my books, I'd still be in business and I'd own four other places by now. She's that good."

Gehring talked Barr into buying Ziggy's in Stillwater, but the roles were reversed when the two decided to buy Maverick's (formerly The Corner Bar) in River Falls in 2022. Their second location, Tarnation Tavern, was a much more uphill struggle than Ziggy's.

"This one (Tarnation Tavern) taxed it (the relationship)," said Gehring, shaking her head from side to side, "The work to get it up and going just went on and on for months and months."

"But we're up 30% from last year, right?" said Barr with his eyebrows raised, shoulders shrugged, and palms up.  

"It's a very detailed oriented business," said Gehring, "Ketchup, for example, is one of the most expensive things in a restaurant."

"Colleen found out we save close to $2,000 dollars per month at each location portioning ketchup as opposed to using squeeze bottles," said Barr, "People would just steal ketchup bottles all the time."

"You can never stop paying attention because if you do," said Gehring, "Then you're in trouble and we found that out in Stillwater."

Opening and running two bar/restaurants, Barr and Gehring have experience and both said they were extremely excited to open Streeters and looking forward to adding different things in the coming months.

"We'll have fish and fish fries before Lent," said Gehring, "That's our goal."

What's the most important thing each has learned opening two other bar/restaurants in the last five years?

"Don't give up," said Barr.

"Keep yourself in line," said Gehring.

Streeters Bar and Grill, located at 212 S. Main St. is currently open for beverages and food service will be available in the next three weeks.