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Wednesday, February 01, 2006

The News: TV's. Pizza. A Jolt?

Pat Garland, one of the three owners of The News is grinning as he welcomes people to his new bar. He has a plan and he's going to be there to watch it and work it... everyday.

Most recently known as Lava Lounge, Mr. Garland and two of the owners of Guidos (Mt. Adams) took the 835 Main St. space on, changed everything--except the bathrooms, where they added TV's -- and opened up a place where lunch, happy hour, dinner and drinks are covered. And it's not too far off the beaten path.

"We want to bring a good value to the people... starting with downtown." Garland says.

Garland, a upstate-New York transplant, went to a small school in Boston for communications, and has since lived in Chicago, California and in between doing IT work after he graduated. He loves big cities. He loves what Cincinnati has as a city. The News wants to add to that.

"We love the cosmopolitan aspects of Michigan Ave. and Times Square. We want to get the people from downtown and then from the surrounding neighborhoods," he says. Garland believes that the people who live 5 minutes away, in the suburbs don't have a place downtown to utilize, and their perception of it is dangerous. The News, located on Main and 9th, right next to the Union Station (formerly Carol's) is far more on the beaten path than other attempts at late serving "Joints" in the city such as the Diner, most recently.

"We are committed to staying open. If you're looking for something to eat, drink... we're going to be open," Garland says alluding to the somewhat shaky business around the center city that is not dependable on hours.

The menu, which stays around $7-5 has a full list of appetizers--from chicken tenders to spinach artichoke dip; salads--Caesar, house, chef, or BBQ chicken; and the gammet of subs; and for pizza fans, they have brought Guidos' pizza down the hill.

It is the lunch crowd that is to be most impressed, with an efficient buffet that will feature selections changing daily of hot subs (Mr. Garland is very pleased with the buns they have found to make the subs excellent), quesadilla (he is equally impressed that he had just learned how to spell quesadilla) , and meatloaf, chicken alfredo pasta and other more meal-like specials revolving.

The atmosphere is cozy and the commitment to screen and sound--to the tune of three 60" projector TV's, six 42" plasmas, and a 1102" projector--is unmatched for a place of its size.

It is like Madonna's but cleaner and with more TV's. How the drinks will be poured will determine if it sinks or swims.

"We may paint the outside of the bar this spring. It'll probably wake up the neighborhood," says the ambitious and confident Garland. With his vision and continued hands on interaction, The News' location should serve them well. Look for it to be swinging by late May.

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