Owners Brian and Alexandra VanderWesten are overseeing a complete overhaul of the interior and a refresh of the exterior. Their goal is to provide an old school Lake Norman tavern atmosphere that is safe and welcoming.

Brian VanderWesten has worked in the service industry for more than a decade and has also served as a longtime DJ in the area, performing at establishments around Lake Norman. He grew up in Mooresville and his father was a longtime police officer in Statesville. Alexandra VanderWesten grew up in South Dakota before relocating to North Carolina for her mother’s career in the Navy.

“Growing up around here, I remember the old-school bars that don’t really exist anymore, the kind of places where the sense of community was so strong you could feel it the moment you walked in,” Brian VanderWesten said. “That’s the feeling we want to bring back.”

The name of the bar is a nod to the couple’s Nov. 11 wedding anniversary. They live in Denver with their three young children.

“More than anything, we want to show our children that when you lead with heart and look out for your neighbors, anything is possible,” Brian VanderWesten said.

Renovation plans

Once complete, the owners say the interior will be unrecognizable compared with what has existed there for decades. The family is overseeing demolition, and renovations will include a new bar, updated décor, seating areas, flooring, refrigeration units and bathrooms. The exterior has been extensively cleaned, and work has begun to bring the front entrance up to code after years of neglected maintenance. The outdoor bar and seating area in the back also will be renovated, including the addition of a new stage.

“Our focus is on creating a safe, welcoming environment where people can sit down, play a few games of pool, enjoy live music inside or outside on our beautiful deck, be themselves and leave the pressures of the world at the door,” Brian VanderWesten said.

The familiar sign out front remains for now, but the owners said it will be removed in the coming weeks by the previous owners. For now, a sign out front teases the opening of the new business.

A grand opening is scheduled for early July.