An uptown Marion building that originally served Civil War veterans is getting new life as an Irish pub and gathering place.

Uptown Snug opened May 18 in the Memorial Hall building, constructed by the Woman's Relief Corps in 1900. The first floor originally housed a dry goods store and a horse livery, with a meeting hall for veterans on the second floor.

When Paul and Jeanne Matthews, both 54, bought the building nine years ago, it was in total disrepair. But Jeanne, a Realtor for Skogman Realty, has served on the boards of the Marion Chamber of Commerce, Uptown Marion and the Cedar Rapids Area Association of Realtors, and she had seen data that convinced her there was a need for more food and beverage options in Marion.

When they saw the Memorial Hall building, the Matthews knew it was the perfect place to take on a new project.

"We knew this space was tailor-made for a pub once we saw the building," she said.

They fixed up the second story first to serve as a condo where they now live. More recently they tackled the first floor.

Paul, a general contractor by trade, did the renovation work himself, building the long wooden bar, cleaning and sealing the brick walls and refinishing the wood floors in the 2,650 square foot space.

"It really did become a labor of love for us," Jeanne said.

For the last year, the front of the space was an art gallery while renovations continued on the back section, but Jeanne is transitioning the art out to make more room for bar patrons.

"We envision this as the quiet, classier cocktail area," she said of the front room.

An electric fireplace surrounded by couches centers the backroom. Guinness signs and paraphernalia are tucked around the room, in keeping with the Irish pub theme.

"We wanted it to be as warm and inviting and cozy as an Old World pub should be," she said. "It's an Irish pub to honor the Irish immigrants who helped build Marion."

With 12 beers on tap and more in bottles and cans, the bar also features wine and cocktails. In coming weeks they hope to add an appetizers menu, with five or six choices such as charcuterie boards.

The beer garden behind the bar sits next to ongoing work on Marion's ImagineArt in the Alleys project, which will improve the alley through a combination of infrastructure improvements and creative installments.

"That was a big incentive to put a business here," Paul said. "We're going to be right in the heart of it."

Drink Up!

WHERE: Uptown Snug, 760 11th St., Marion

WHEN: 2 p.m. to midnight, Tuesday to Saturday

DETAILS: (319) 360-8154