photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

The former Charlie's Eastside Bar and Grill at Ninth and Pennsylvania streets is pictured on Oct. 2, 2025.

Beer, wings and comedy. I know of Saturday nights where all three of those things have materialized — exactly in that order. However, this (mercifully) is not a recap of one of those evenings. Rather, it is a roster for the latest development news and notes from around town.

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First, the beer. Look for a revival of a former iconic neighborhood bar. Construction work is set to begin on the former Charlie’s Eastside Bar and Grill at 900 Pennsylvania St. in East Lawrence.

An application for about $65,000 worth of remodeling work at the old stone building with the classic Coors sign has been filed at Lawrence City Hall. Longtime Lawrence bar and restaurant owner Brad Ziegler is the man behind the project.

He told me the plan is to do significant interior remodeling of the building and reopen the establishment as Charlie’s Eastside Bar and Grill.

“I love the old building and have fond memories of when I was going there in college,” Ziegler said. “It is just a small, neighborhood bar, and hopefully we can recreate that same feeling.”

Plans are to keep the building small. The building permit doesn’t call for an expansion of the building. Rather, it would replace the old wooden deck with a new steel structure, and would take care of numerous maintenance items and improve the interior.

photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

The former Charlie’s Eastside Bar and Grill at Ninth and Pennsylvania streets is pictured on Oct. 2, 2025.

You may recall that Ziegler previously had filed a plan that called for a new addition onto the back of the building. You also may recall that the project became the subject of a lawsuit filed by Marci Francisco, a state senator who has property near the site. The lawsuit alleged that the larger project was unable to meet the city’s parking code in a reasonable manner.

The parking requirements for the site have since changed with the passage of a new development code at City Hall, but Ziegler said it still wasn’t clear to him whether he had a clear path for city approval to build the addition. So, he’s scrapped that plan and will work with the existing building.

Beer and cocktails, of course, will be a significant part of the business, but plans also call for food service. Ziegler — who owns and operates restaurants ranging from the Big Mill to Six Mile Chophouse — said he has a menu in mind for the place. However, given the competitiveness of the local restaurant scene, he said he’s not ready to publicly announce the concept.

Ziegler also said he doesn’t have a timeline for opening the building.

“I will take my time and do it right,” he said of the upcoming project.

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photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

A portion of the former Leeway Franks butcher shop, pictured on Oct. 2, 2025, will house a new neighborhood bar called The Shop.

As is often the case, beer makes a double appearance on the roster. Indeed, there is news of another neighborhood bar in the works. Look for The Shop to open in the Hillcrest Shopping Center at Ninth and Iowa streets.

More specifically, the bar will be in a portion of the former Leeway Franks building at 935 Iowa St. — also known as the building just east of the bowling alley.

Lawrence entrepreneur Brian Sims is leading the group that will open the bar. Sims told me the plan is for a friendly, fun, neighborhood bar that serves a variety of bottled and canned beer and mixed drinks. In addition to the small interior space, the location has a small patio area and even a bit of a grassy lawn that Sims envisions will be good for some yard games.

Sims said he hopes to have The Shop open in about two weeks. Construction work is well underway at the site.

“We are going to focus on the little things and run a good, clean, small bar,” Sims said, noting that the cocktail menu would include a staple of six classic drinks, in addition to the beer offerings.

Sims said the bar won’t have a food menu.

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photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

A portion of the former Leeway Franks butcher shop, pictured on Oct. 2, 2025, will house a WingStand by Jefferson’s.

Worry not, here is where the wings make their appearance. I actually learned about The Shop when I drove out to the former Leeway Franks building to follow up on a tip about a new wing business locating there.

A permit has been filed at City Hall for a WingStand by Jefferson’s to open in a portion of the former Leeway Franks building.

Jefferson’s, of course, is a popular sports bar with Lawrence locations in downtown and along Wakarusa Drive. Wings are a big part of their business, and several years ago the business opened up the WingStand by Jefferson’s concept in the KC metro. That smaller footprint restaurant places greater emphasis on the wing offerings.

There are now two of those WingStands in the KC metro — one in Olathe and one in Mission — according to the restaurant’s website. But this will be the first location for the concept in Lawrence.

I’ve got a call into one of the leaders of Jefferson’s, but haven’t yet heard back. When I do, I’ll pass along any other interesting details.

Sims, with The Shop, however was fully aware of the planned venture, and said he was excited about the synergy that could come with having a bar next door to a wing stand. Technically there is a small barber shop separating the two locations, but that could be a fun twist too.

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photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

The former Mr. Brews Taphouse location at 811 New Hampshire Street is picture on Oct. 2, 2025.

Finally, the comedy. (Longtime readers of this column say they’ll believe it when they read it.) A permit application has been filed at City Hall for a new business to locate in the former Mr. Brews Taphouse location at 811 New Hampshire St.

The permit application lists the new business as “The Comedy Club.” That’s the extent of what I know about the proposed development thus far. But if the name indeed describes what it will be, a comedy club would be a new offering in Lawrence. There are some bars that have comedy nights on a regular basis, but I don’t remember a time when Lawrence has had a full-time comedy club as part of it scene.

I’m working to make a connection with the proposed operator. If I’m successful, I’ll provide an update.