Closed by COVID, a downtown Lexington bar is reborn a new collective of food, drink
A Lexington bar that closed during the coronavirus pandemic is coming back to life but in a new form.
Harvey’s and its upstairs bar Hugo’s Lounge on Main Street closed in 2020 after 15 years in business. Even when Gov. Andy Beshear began easing the restrictions on bars, Harvey’s stayed shuttered.
But owner Avena Kiely said she always knew it would come back eventually. The question just became how and in what form.
Harvey’s reopened June 2 as a new collective of food and beverage entrepreneurs under the umbrella name of The Grove.
When they open, there will be a medley of local businesses under one roof. Pop-up and private events are also available.
Harvey’s is now Harvey’s Bar and Beer Garden, with outdoor seating under a vibrant new mural painted by Lexington artist Wylie Caudill.
The revamped outdoor space also is home to the Luna “food trailer,” which features a menu of shareable snacks, entrees and treats from chef Stephania Sharkey.
Inside Harvey’s bar, Fable Charcuterie + Wine will be offering platters of meats, cheeses and fruit artfully presented.
And upstairs, the former Hugo’s Lounge has been transformed into an event venue called the Melodeon. (Longtime Lexington diners will recall a restaurant on that Main Street corner with that name.)
Now the historic building is becoming “an eclectic hot spot,” according to a news release. The building is the oldest commercial building on Main Street, being completed in 1849.
“We love Lexington because this community helped shape us as entrepreneurs and humans. Building on the success Harvey’s has had over the past 15 years, we enthusiastically start this new chapter with hearts full of hope and with our lovely friends by our side,” Kiely said in the release.
The Grove
Where: 200 W. Main St.
Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 6 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 6 p.m. to late night.
Online: thegrovelex.com
This story was originally published June 3, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
