Brothers Brent (left) and Brad Steven in front of the former Barrier’s building at Douglas and Oliver, which they’re going to transform into the Hill Bar and Grill.
WICHITA — As some residents of Crown Heights are organizing a group to protest a bar and grill going in the former Barrier’s space at Douglas and Oliver, the restaurateurs hoping to open it are ready to share details.
Mike’s Wine Dive owners Brent and Brad Steven plan to open the Hill Bar and Grill — named for the hill in College Hill — in 5,100 square feet of the building in March.
Mike’s is in the center at the northwest corner of the intersection. The Hill will be on the northeast corner.
Though Brad Steven says the Hill will be a great place to catch a game, he says, “It’s not going to be a sports bar.”
“Our focus will be a wide selection of craft beers as well as American food,” he says. “Basically, we’re going to be specializing in beers the way we specialize in wine at Mike’s.”
There will be 25 beers on tap and craft beers from around the world.
Brent Steven describes it as “kind of like an ale house.”
He says the idea is “a place that’s totally different than Mike’s.”
Where Mike’s is more fine dining, he says, he and his brother envision the Hill as “more of a hangout spot.”
“It will appeal to a wider audience than Mike’s does.”
There will be seating for about 150 customers.
There will be an outside patio facing Douglas that is within the front of the building and will serve as an area for smoking. There will be another patio that wraps around the east side of the building.
There will be another 2,400 square feet left in the building for another business.
The Hill’s hours aren’t set yet, but the Stevens are thinking 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. most days and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on the weekends.
The hours are a key issue for some residents.
“You can go on the news and see all the time what happens in Old Town at 2 a.m.,” says Melinda Foley, who is president of the Crown Heights Neighborhood Association.