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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; There&#8217;s a new bar on the block.</p><p>The former Bart and Urby&#8217;s location has been remodeled and re-opened as The Down Pour, and will have its grand opening on Friday at 4 p.m.</p><p>Bart and Urby&#8217;s, a Main Street staple in Wilkes-Barre since 2005, closed in January after its owner, Brian Urbanas, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/731977/late-owners-family-says-bart-urbys-to-close-for-good" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">passed away after a battle with multiple </a><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/731977/late-owners-family-says-bart-urbys-to-close-for-good" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sclerosis</a>.</p><p>Now, after nearly a year of lying dormant, the location is ready to be opened to the public once more, under new ownership.</p><p>Josh Popple and fiancee Kaylee Macko recently purchased the building that housed Bart and Urby&#8217;s, and held an invitation-only soft opening. Regular hours will begin on Thursday, with the special event on Friday.</p><p>Macko has been in the serving and bartending business for years, while Popple says he is new to the whole scene.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve just been looking at this as sort of a new adventure,&#8221; Popple said.</p><p>Popple and Macko hope to bring a bit more of an upscale touch to Main Street, he said, while still maintaining the charm and appeal that made Bart and Urby&#8217;s so popular.</p><p>Macko worked at Bart and Urby&#8217;s as a server and bartender for three years, so the location was immediately familiar to the two of them when they were scouting out potential spots to open up The Down Pour.</p><p>&#8220;The opportunity was there, and we took it,&#8221; Popple said.</p><p>In addition to typical bar food, Popple says that The Down Pour will have many different entrees and fine dining options.</p><p>With good food comes a need for good beer, and The Downpour will have that covered in full, with 24 taps on draft and a wide variety of mixed drink options to appeal to everyone.</p><p>&#8220;Martinis, Manhattans, we&#8217;ve got it all,&#8221; Popple said.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re just really looking forward to everyone coming out and enjoying it,&#8221; Popple said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Pedestrians walk past the former Bart and Urby&#8217;s on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre, which is being reborn as The Down Pour. Its new owners will host a grand opening on Friday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/web1_TTL111919Down-Pour-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Pedestrians walk past the former Bart and Urby&#8217;s on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre, which is being reborn as The Down Pour. Its new owners will host a grand opening on Friday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Successor to Bart and Urby&#8217;s plans Friday event</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Kevin Carroll</p><p>kcarroll@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Kevin Carroll at 570-954-8360 or on Twitter @TLKevinCarroll</p></shirttailMeta></div>

The Down Pour, successor to Bart and Urby’s, plans Friday opening