The already “iconic” bar backdrop

What do you get when you cross 3 dudes, craftmanship, history and beer? You get the new Hoots Roller Bar & Beer Company. They are the topic du jour, even though I felt like I was following them before they got all hot and popular :). I can’t wait for Hoots Roller Bar to open in mid-September. It is really a feast for the eyes and it has nothing to do with food. Everything added into the old Hoots Roller Mill warehouse, which stood vacant, is completely hand-made. What’s more, you’ll see old wood from family collections, reclaimed restaurant booths and an old piano and the detail and care that has been placed into each and every item, well you can tell it’s a labor of love. That labor comes from the hands of owners and friends Eric Swaim, Eric Weyer and Ralph Pritts. You may know them from around town, Krankies, the stage, etc. But their new claim to fame will be Hoots Roller Bar in the Historic West End, at West End Millworks, formerly Hoots Roller Mill.

Hoots Roller Bar is in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign with 6 more days to go. Their open date is sometime in mid-September with the brewery to follow in the fall.

When we arrived last week, we saw Ralph sawing away and Eric S showed us the place and what they envision the bar and brewery to be. There are intricately laid wood accents. There are portholes in the bar that give glimpses inside the future brewery. A true work in progress that’s being worked right down to the wire. And these pictures are a reflection of that. No beauty shots here. This is the Hoots Roller Bar life in pictures.

The Brewery side

The Old Piano

Reclaimed Restaurant Booths

The Erics and Ralph are also excited about their address and that they will soon be followed by other businesses including, Winston-Salem’s first distillery. And The Porch Kitchen + Cantina, where you can get food to go, or order and hang out (there’s also a kickstarter campaign for that). The old mill house and the rustic look of the area is sure to draw a certain crowd. A crowd that loves that old, yet progressive look and a casual greenspace that is so inviting for just having a cold one and relaxing with friends.

Future Distillery

Hashbrowns…just kidding. It’s saw dust. And there’s a lot of it. It’s also known as insulation.

This is a local lovie’s dream. You see what used to be progress. It turned to a shack, left forgotten to just sit there and deteriorate. But it’s in the midst of a transformation and that is VERY exciting to see. And it is even more thrilling to see 3 young men shaping their dream into a reality, while turning something that could’ve been nothing, into something really special.

This is just the beginning for Eric, Eric, Ralph and property owner, John Bryan, whose vision is transforming this area into a place of community, arts and business. It is definitely a place to keep our eye on.

We’ll see you there in September!

Click here for the Kickstarter Campaign for Hoots Roller Bar & Beer Co.

Click here for The Porch Kitchen + Cantina (part of Dinners on the Porch) Kickstarter.