LAKEWOOD, OH — Lakewood's Winchester Music Tavern is reopening on Madison Avenue. A grand opening celebration is planned for Memorial Day weekend, with acts flying in from New York and Los Angeles. For one of the city's more storied bars, the path to a second (or third) chance seemed fated.

At least, it was fated for Shane Motolik, the erstwhile bartender whose love for the Winchester inspired him to buy up the bar and return it to its original name (mostly) and bring its musical stylings back to the community. As a young man from Wakeman, Ohio, Motolik had little exposure to the hip music culture of Lakewood or Cleveland, let alone some place like New York. Most of Motolik's neighbors and peers were interested in farming, he told Patch, not learning how to play "Harvest Moon" on an acoustic guitar.

So he subsisted on Neil Young and Bob Dylan records. He dug the folksier side of the rock pantheon and fancied himself something of a troubadour himself. But there was no outlet in Wakeman, or later Lakeland and Amherst, where he moved. Then, in a moment of delightful serendipity, Motolik heard about a place that had an open mic night in Lakewood. Soon he found himself waltzing into the Winchester. As soon as the doors swung open and the rush of singer-songwriter ballad-ing consumed him, he was done for. It was love at first sound.

He used to tell friends that if he was ever going to own a bar, it would be the Winchester. "That was the ideal situation," he said. "I wasn't even thinking about owning a bar back then." But perfect situations rarely develop instantly. Instead, Motolik moved to Los Angeles and began bartending. Many of his friends owned bars or music venues. He started to accumulate knowledge and a desire to open his own place.

In his absence, the Winchester went through an evolution of its own. Its original owner found Jesus, packed up all of his belongings and hit the road to preach the Gospel. To fund his mission, he sold the Winchester.

And so the Winchester became the Bevy. The new owners, who were also owners of New Century Builders, revamped the bar, giving it a much needed facelift.

But the Bevy never found its niche and was once again put up for sale.

The timing was perfect.