The former Stray Bar is reopening tonight, under new ownership, with an all-new interior, and a brand-new name. Your Bernalwood editor snapped the photos you see above during a speedy drive-by visit last week.
From here on out, the bar shall be known as Holy Water.
Hmm. Yes.
Micheal Goebel, one of the co-owners of the new establishment, has kindly extended an invitation to all Citizens of Bernalwood to stop by this evening for a special Bernal-only soft-launch celebration:
We thought it would be a cool idea to host a neighborhood-only soft opening for everyone. We will do some hosted beer and wine for a couple hours.
For those who are so inclined, you will be pleased to know that Holy Water is already on the Foursquare, for your check-in convenience.
PHOTOS: Telstar Logistics
Bernalwood 
What time tonight?
No specific time. Cocktail Hour… and into Tonight.
I am totally in love with him.
It re-opened last night, but it was SUPER loud. Hopefully that’s not gonna be a trend.
If it’s too loud, yer too…
Oh, I’m definitely too old. That goes without saying. Now pull up your damn pants and get off my lawn.
ha!
Hi does anyone know if it is and will be dog friendly like the Stray Bar??? Hope so.
you can bring your dogs if i can bring my small children.
Yes, Holy Water is dog friendly.
Why spend all the time and money on good interior design and ambiance and then totally ruin it by putting a TV in the corner!
There are plenty of bars with TVs, do we really need another?
Hear, Hear.
Ruin? Bars should have a TV. Libraries, no. Bars, yes.
Naw.
I peeked in last night and was a little thrown by the TV, too. Seemed quite out of place.
Will have to send the husbo down to see if they can mix a decent drink.
I’m going to go and see if they can pour either a good Old Fashioned or a Sazerac. If they can make the whiskey smooth, then they might stand a chance.
It looks like they know what they’re doing judging by the rum, gin, and mescal they’ve stocked in that photo. Good choices across the board, and not exclusively at the high end.
Granted there’s a difference between knowing what to buy and knowing what to do with what you’ve bought, but I’m starting to get my hopes up.
I,myself, was really hopeing for a … nicer… bar – the 2 wine bars we have offer a nice atmosphere and we are really fortunate on Cortland to have 2 really pedestrian, neighborhoody bars, places anyone could go to regularly. I think it would be different, refreshing, if we had something with a little higher tone – it means I don’t have to go outside my ‘hood to drink at a more casually-elegant establishment – something to match our higher quality restaurants on Cortland.
Ugh. That is exactly the kind of place we DON’T need.
We stopped in last night to see the new digs and the place looks great! Love the ceiling and the lights. Lots of space to move around. Could use another table or two for seating (they have the space for it). Friendly bartenders and patrons! The TV’s fit in just fine…it is expected in a bar like this.
I used to work in that bar when it was called Charlie’s. Helluva lot different back then. It would appear that the plain, old, regular-ass, BAR, that is to say, a dark place to sit with familiar faces and drink the spirit of your choice, and perhaps shoot some pool or watch the game, in an environment free of elitist attitudes or silly affectations, is becoming a threatened species,
(I meant no offense to the new owners of Holy Water, and I wish them well. This was merely an observation about the city in general.)
Sorry we missed the opening, didn’t receive our Bernalwood blog until after it was over 😦
Can’t go to a bar with a tv though, sorry! If people want to watch TV they should stay at home!
I think we should all be incredible happy to have this business open in our neighborhood. It looks like this owner has put tremendous thought into creating a beautiful space where we can enjoy a fine cocktail. If you want a plain, old, regular dark ass bar, there’s one just down the street. Let’s support business like this who are actually taking a risk, investing in creating a new space/vibe and not just slapping a new name on an old space!
Really enjoyed our first drink here – cheers to holy water & good luck!
Went last night. Friendly staff. Made a good Old Fashioned. I pet many cute dogs. Bar is well stocked. That’s about all I could ask from a new bar.
Stopped by tonight – nicely redone interior, spacious, not too loud at all, very good cocktails, dog-friendly. The TVs are on without volume – they were showing the Cardinals/Dodgers game and it wasn’t obtrusive at all.
Popped into Holy Water over the weekend. I love that they’ve kept Stray Bar’s dog-friendly vibe. We had a Moscow Mule and an After The Gold Rush – both delicious. The only criticism at this point is the TVs kill the moody atmosphere, and sort of ‘un-do’ the careful consideration given to the new decor. Otherwise, a nice addition to Cortland.
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