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Good Oak Bar to reopen & bring back its cocktails, brews & fried pickles

Good Oak Bar to reopen & bring back its cocktails, brews & fried pickles

Sep 17, 20212 min read

The popular drinking spot right next door to the Rialto Theatre is making a comeback after being closed for more than a year.

Good Oak Bar is now under new ownership and is reopening its doors at 316 E. Congress St. on Wednesday, October 20.

Bar at Good Oak Bar (Credit: Adam Lehrman)

The new owners made the announcement on Facebook and Instagram, expressing their appreciation of the vintage yet hip bar — sharing the following:

“The velvet curtain at the doorway, the hand-crafted bar, the black and white photo booth, beautifully crafted cocktails, and rich conversation — it’s no wonder why this has become a most cherished spot in Downtown Tucson. Humbly, we are excited to be part of Good Oak’s next chapter as caretakers of this beautiful space.”

In the past, its convenient proximity to the Rialto Theatre made Good Oak Bar an ideal location to drink and eat before a show, but its quality and vibe are what seemed to keep visitors coming back. Plus, in addition to their selection of mezcal, local brews, and cocktails, the fried pickles tastefully made themselves known at the bar, too.

Fried Pickles at Good Oak Bar (Credit: Adam Lehrman)
Fried Pickles at Good Oak Bar (Credit: Adam Lehrman)

Loveblock Partners is the group that’s taking over Good Oak Bar, which is familiar with the area being that it’s behind other restaurants and bars like HUB Restaurant & Creamery and Playground Bar & Lounge.

“We want to send a sincere Thank You to Derrick Widmark and his team. We are deeply grateful that they created the very special space, community, and integral part of Downtown Tucson’s landscape known as Good Oak.”

Good Oak Bar
New ownership at Good Oak Bar (Photo courtesy of Good Oak Bar on Facebook)

Good Oak Bar first opened up in 2013 and, like many other businesses during the pandemic, temporarily closed its doors in June 2020.

Good Oak Bar is located at 316 E. Congress St. For more information, visit them on Facebook or Instagram.

Article written by:

Matt Sterner

Matt Sterner

More about Matt

At a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.

He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.

If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.

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