Authored By chloe.morrison

The Houston Street spot most popularly known as the former O’Heiney’s is coming back under new owners who are bringing life back to the bar.

Entrepreneurs Matt Skudlarek, who owns St. Elmo’s Pasha Coffee and Tea, and Jason Bowers are turning the location into a new bar called The Bitter Alibi.

“We actually met at O’Heiney’s, so we have a little bit of history in this building,” Bowers said.

Rich Heinsman owns the space, which was briefly turned into a bar called Black Magpie Theory, and was close to gutting the location and turning it into apartments, the duo said.

Hours Sunday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-12 a.m. Friday-Saturday, 4 p.m.- 2 a.m.

But they said Heinsman really wanted to see it be kept as a neighborhood bar, so what started as a text message conversation soon turned into the business partners signing a lease.

They have only leased the bottom floor now, but there is a possibility they will expand upstairs if things go well.

They’ve been working to get the kitchen and beer system in order, and they go before the Chattanooga Beer and Wrecker Board Thursday, they said.

The project has been in the works since April, and they hope to be open by early July. They have managed to keep startup costs to about $9,000, they said.

They will have eight beers on draft, as well as bottled beer. The bar will also serve food, such as flatbread sandwiches and other fresh items.

The bar will be no smoking but will be only for people 21 and older.

“It’ll be like a fresher bistro-style menu mixed with an underground pub [vibe],” Skudlarek said. “If it works out and people like it, we have the space for a full bar.”