Barrelhouse Pub and Pizza opens in former Zentropa

The butcher paper is off the windows just as planned and the new Barrelhouse Pub and Pizza opened for business this past Monday, Jan. 9, right on schedule.

The former Zentropa Restaurant at 122 College Ave. in Cheney changed hands and had a fever-pitch schedule of minor renovations and red tape in order to open, new owner Mike Lyons said.

Not a lot changes from the establishment that was owned by Josh Baldwin and his father, Steve, and opened in January 2013. Lyons and his fiancé, Darcy Stroh, own the business. Dr. Chris Collins of Cheney owns the building.

"We're adding spirits to the bar," Lyons said, who comes to Cheney after having operated Moose Lounge and Rock Room in Coeur d'Alene. He sold his half of that venture in May 2015.

The menu, which specializes in pizza, calzones and hot sandwiches is staying exactly the same Lyons said. Zentropa was only open until 10 p.m. and Lyons extended business hours to 2 a.m.

"We still want to keep the same family atmosphere," he said. "That's a big deal to this business." Minors are allowed by rule to be in the premises until 11 p.m. but Lyons said he was not sure if that might change.

There will be new opportunities for viewing sports at the Barrelhouse, too. "We're putting up two new TVs and we're putting up a four-monitor matrix that's basically four, 50-inch monitors (with) one picture," Lyons said. "So it will be like a 100-inch screen."

Outside of the remodeling side of things, a bigger challenge for Lyons was the liquor license. He was not about to open the doors for just pop and pizza.

"The whole liquor license process, and the documentation you have to provide is mind-blowing," Lyons said. "It's taken months, I think we're on our third month." Lyons applied for the liquor license well before he got the bank loan, he said.

What drove him to Cheney?

The process began in early November where Lyons and Stroh looked at an alternative piece of property, but decided, "Nah, let's look at this other one."

Everything about their current digs seemed just right. "I really loved the building," Lyons said, who attended Eastern Washington University for a year in 1994. "We came here several times before we actually decided to make an offer on it."

"We came here for the first time Nov. 4, or something like that," he said. They returned several times for dinner, "I asked the bartenders all kinds of weird questions; questions you never ask," Lyons said.

But finding where to do business was only part of the story. The current name was not what Lyons had intended when he made the deal.

"That's a funny story," Lyons said. "I was going to call it the Brick House."

He filed the paperwork, got the trade name and then came out to Cheney one day, parked on Second Street and turned around to see The Brick House Deli out his car window. "It was literally across the street and I said 'What?'" Lyons said. "Then it was a mad scramble of trying to find a different name."

Lyons said he likes the new name better.

The establishment was in a state of crazy rushing around on Jan. 5 as contractors and employees were busy with all kinds of last-minute chores.

That included bar training for employees who will now be serving mixed drinks after having previously served beer and wine.

Lyons said that being organized helped as he oversaw work being done by the plumber, electrician, soda pop guys, Huppins and Direct TV.

Lyons said they hope to attract more college-age customers and plans to have couches and lounge chairs.

The restaurant will be a hands-on venture for the veteran of the industry.

"I will be here opening and bartending at night," Lyons said. "I try to lead by example," adding that if you hand off the reins to someone else, it is often asking for trouble.

Before it became Zentropa, the one time Pita Pit, was owned by Matt Irwin and was a full-service restaurant called Immix which opened in July 2009.

The location has also been home to the Savage House Pizza, among other things.

Barrelhouse Pub and Pizza is located at 122 College Ave. Business hours are Monday through Sunday from 11 a.m. – 2 a.m. To contact Barrelhouse Pub and Pizza, call (509) 235-4338.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.