Nevermore on Third in Wausau turned the Polack Inn into a gothic destination
Wausau folks might remember owners Ashley and Dan Dadabo from the Wausau Spokeeasy business
For someone who is used to walking into The Polack Inn, walking into Nevermore on Third, the latest incarnation of the tavern, might throw one off a little.
But that’s in a good way, especially for someone into the gothic.
Nevermore on Third opened in September on Third Street north of downtown, in the building formerly known for heavy music, fish fries and Polish dinners. But now the insides look like an Edgar Allen Poe fan’s dream bar.
From top to bottom, the tavern is covered in exposed tin walls and ceiling, leaded glass, black and red tapestries and flourishes like an old Gothic typewriter in the corner.
Ashley Dadabo, who along with her husband Dan bought the building, said the theme just made sense given the surroundings. The bar, along with the Glass Hat, has a ton of history and there’s a sort of dark theme with buildings in the area. (The Black Purl, for instance.) So the Poe/gothic theme just made sense.
“We’re kind of unique, dark individuals into music and things ourselves, so it works out,” Dadabo says.
The road to starting Nevermore on Third
If the names sound familiar, the Dadabos before the pandemic owned the pedal pub Wausau Spokeeasy, which could be seen with people bicycling around town while enjoying the mobile tavern. They eventually sold that to the Cop Shoppe, Dadabo says.
They also bought other bars, including one in Tomahawk. So they’re no strangers to the business.
But Nevermore on Third has probably made the strongest impression so far. A recent Halloween-themed event sold out, and they’ve had customers come from all over the state such as Madison to check the place out.
Amazingly the build-out all came together in about six weeks ahead of an early September opening. Dadabo says they had friends working on sewing, painting and polishing to give Nevermore the dark, gothic look.
Those who missed The Polack Inn’s long status as a music hotspot won’t be disappointed. Nevermore will host music starting this month, and that music will have a wide range of styles, says Manager Ty Rindfleisch. “The PI had such a strong following, myself included, I would come here for shows,” Rindfleisch says. “We wanted to preserve that but build on it.”
Rindfleisch says even former PI customers have been enjoying the changes they’ve made.
Food is another area Nevermore innovated on. They’re focusing on tapas-style, small plate food, something that is new for Wausau (but has been a feature of Father Fats in Stevens Point). Everything comes in threes and is meant to be shared, Dadabo says.
Dadabo says the messenger button on their Facebook page has been ringing off the hook, so to speak, with bands looking to book a show.
That mixed with special events — a Steampunk ball Nevermore held in October sold out pretty quickly — should make for a lively place.
And it adds to something that’s become a trend in Wausau — places with a strong sense of theme. Nevermore on Third obviously has a strong gothic/Edgar Allen Poe theme, but others such as Glass and Grain House built their location around a 70s theme, and The Lounge Wausau owners said they focused on making it feel like hanging out at your rich uncle’s house.
This focus helps create unique experiences in Wausau, something that will likely have an impact on making Wausau a place where people want to live.
The Dadabos also bought properties adjacent to the Nevermore on Third building, and plan to turn one of the lots into a parking lot for the business, something that is sorely needed for businesses in the area since parking is in short supply.
NOTE: Fixed a typo in Ashley’s name in the subhed and fixed a typo in The Black Purl’s name.
Read next: How The Lounge Wausau brought a chill vibe to Rib Mountain.
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