J&P's Tippling House is building on The Lounge's atmosphere
You'll recognize the look, but there are some changes too
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Walking into J&P’s Tippling House in Rib Mountain, a person could be forgiven for not noticing the changes at first.
When Bob and Megan Lamovec built it last year as The Lounge, Bob told me it was designed to look like your rich uncle’s really fun basement.
J&P’s Tippling House just opened earlier this month in the building that was recently The Lounge. The people behind the new business, Justin Bradfish and Phil Mueller, are a pair of IT infrastructure professionals who are now trying their hand in another, very different space. (Though Bradfish did run a bar previously, he says.)
And while they’re keeping a lot the same, there are definitely some changes.
Setting J&P’s Tippling House in Rib Mountain apart
Such as? For one, there are TVs - Bradfish in an interview with The Wausonian said that while they’re keeping much about the look of the bar the same, they’re steering into more of a sports bar vibe, showing all the games such as baseball, football and golf.
The idea is to create “somewhere that professionals could post up and set up with a laptop and get a good cocktail and some good food, and watch some sports,” Bradfish told The Wausonian.
They’ve also beefed up the audio. The bar added two 18-inch subwoofers to give the music a little lift, Bradfish says. And they’re planning on adding live music on Saturdays. That’ll be especially important as the ski season approaches, Bradfish says.
Lights now lined the underside of the bar, adding an extra glow to the atmosphere.
New food and drinks
And they’ve changed the bar’s menu, eschewing charcuterie boards in favor of upscale bar food - a peek at the menu reveals items such as ahi tuna tostadas, a buffalo chicken “sammy” and loaded tots. Making those is the same chef who handled the menu at The Lounge, Bradfish says. They’ve been recruiting bartenders from other high-end bars in the area as well.
There is also a more affordable lunch menu, Bradfish says.
Then there are the drinks. J&P’s is focusing on craft cocktails, as one might expect. That includes eight specialty craft cocktails per month. And in the winter months they’re looking at having hot drinks like Tom and Jerrys, something he says has been lacking in the area since The Domino closed.
They also significantly expanded the wine menu, Bradfish says. He couldn’t recall the number of new wines but said it was a substantial increase.
Bradfish says they’re aiming to listen to their customers, and are constantly taking feedback on new things to try, or to get a sense of what is and isn’t working. He said that might lead to some things people might not typically associate with a bar, including a possible bingo night.
For those who liked the look and feel of The Lounge, it still has the vibe of your rich uncle’s basement - but maybe one who is a little more into sports and GenZ vibes.
J&P’s Tippling House is open 11 am to midnight seven days per week. Check them out at their Facebook page.
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