Pastime to reopen as sports bar

RITZVILLE - It's past time a for a local sports pub to open in Ritzville.

And Ryan Reilly, a 2001 graduate of Lind-Ritzville High School, is tired of waiting.

Reilly will be reopening the Pastime Bar and Grill, at 119 W. Main Ave., as the Pastime SportsCenter next month.

"It'll be a sports and community bar," Reilly said, noting his goal is to have a grand opening on Oct. 3.

Reilly said his new venture will have five TVs featuring a variety of sports.

"I'm a big sports fan. I love the Mariners, Seahawks and the Cougars," he said. "And I enjoy watching sports and being around others who enjoy watching, too."

In additional to professional and college sports, he hopes to be able to offer high school sports through a streaming service, so when the Broncos are on the road, local adults can keep up with the action.

Reilly, sister Shannon Reilly-Kraus, and brother-in-law Robin Kraus - doing business as Iron Fist Enterprises - purchased the building in July and have been busy restoring the downstairs.

And over the last couple months, Theresa Abney, Debbie Balfe and Sandy Tracy have volunteered to help restore the pub's barback.

"They've been putting in 3-4 hours a day," Reilly said.

Running a local bar will be a new experience for Reilly, who previously worked for T-Mobile, but was laid off Aug. 23.

"I've seen the Pastime closed for two years," he said, noting he wants to hire 5-7 employees. "There has been a lot of chatter in the community that they'd like to see it open."

But while the pub will sport nearly the same name and the original business' restored barback, the bar won't be the same ol' same ol'.

According to Reilly, the new owners have been brightening up the place, and will have more color than before.

Reilly is also working on agreements to bring in regional beers, as well as beef from The Herd 5C ranch.

"Our signature burger will be The Herd," Reilly said, noting he plans to open for lunch daily and operate seven days a week.

"I want a Pastime that people will remember," he said.

The bar's liquor license only allows for patrons 21-and-older. But Reilly said he may pursue a license that allows younger patrons once he's up and running.

While Reilly is running the bar, his partners will be busy continuing to restore the building, he said. In the future, the new owners hope to have accommodations upstairs.

At this time, he said he's not sure if there will be apartments or an Air B&B or some other housing.

In the meantime, he's getting ready to open the bar.

"Plan to come in and enjoy the atmosphere," he said.

Author Bio

Roger Harnack, Publisher

Roger Harnack is owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. An award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher who grew up in Eastern Washington, he's one of only two Washington state journalists ever to receive the international Golden Quill for editorial/commentary writing. Roger is committed to preserving local media, and along with it, a local voice for Eastern Washington.

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