Blind Pig explores outdoor bar concept in pocket park

     “In my travels, I’ve noticed a lot of people using the sidewalk and the street as part of restaurants. People want to hang out outside, be outside; it feels good to be outside just in general.”

   Ryan Evans, owner of Blind Pig Monticello shared those sentiments during the April 21 Monticello City Council meeting as he sought permission from the council for non-exclusive rights to the downtown pocket park for business expansion purposes.

   A year ago in May 2024, Evans was in front of the council to seek permission to expand seating outside, blocking off a few parking spots along E. First Street/Highway 38 in front of the Blind Pig. That idea was met with some concern, namely due to the business of traffic downtown.

   “Here in Monticello, it’s probably not super safe to be eating on the highway. So I feel like that idea was probably pretty bad,” joked Evans.

   He said he’s been contemplating a new idea that would make more use out of the pocket park.

   “I don’t see the pocket park used very often, not that it isn’t. And I’m not here a lot. That’s just my assumption,” he prefaced.

   Evans would like to utilize the shelter within the pocket park, expand it to include a public restroom and running water, and sell both adult and non-alcoholic beverages to the public.

   “I would like to go ahead and make the stand (shelter) in there into a functioning bar,” he said. “I don’t want to serve beers out of a cooler.”

   He would also welcome and encourage people to patronize local restaurants, not just Blind Pig, and bring carry-outs into the pocket park to enjoy their time outside in downtown Monticello.

   “I just want to utilize the space,” Evans said enthusiastically. “People want to sit outside, hang out, and have drinks.”

   He said for insurance liability reasons, he would need to exclusively lease the pocket park from the city.

   “It’d still be a park. People can go there and hang out at any time they want,” he offered. “But I would like to be in charge of it, for liquor liability reasons. I would like to utilize it as an outside bar. I’ll staff it accordingly and set it up.”

   He has ideas of streaming lights overtop the pocket park to look as those it’s a canopy of lights.

   Evans wants to have the outside bar open on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and some Sundays, depending on the weather.

   “I think we could be open for 22 weekends on average, which would be around 66 days,” he said.

   Evans said since Blind Pig opened two years ago, the vehicular and foot traffic downtown has increased. Opening a bar inside the pocket park would also attract more traffic.

   “I want to make it family friendly,” he said. “Just a different place for people to enjoy their time in downtown Monticello.”

   Council member Dave Goedken asked if Evans planned to add more seating or serve people from the pocket park. Evans said it would just be a place to purchase beverages.

   “I’d provide an area for you to hang out in. It’d be a stand-alone business,” he said.

   Evans also wants to work with local organizations such as Parks and Recreation, Monticello Area Chamber of Commerce (MACC), and Monticello Main Street. He foresees donating toward these groups as a payoff for helping to clean and maintain the pocket park.

   “I would donate portions that are pre-set up,” offered Evans. “But in return, they could come through in the morning and pick up the garbage.”

   “I think it’s an excellent idea,” remarked Goedken. “If there were any donations to go toward maintaining the park itself.”

   Evans said he has staff who would be willing to work the outside bar, welcoming people to town.

   “We have fun, friendly people at the Blind Pig, very welcoming. When people come to Monticello, I want them to walk into that park and say, ‘This is amazing!’ It’s about the feeling when you’re in that place that make people want to come back.

   “We’ll have speakers outside for music. People can enjoy good music outside; some lights for ambiance. But I promise you, if you let me, I’ll make it a cool place,” Evans said passionately.

   With many steps to take before this becomes a reality, Evans promised to keep the council informed along the way.

   “I’ll put a whole-hearted effort into it,” he said. “With a yes today, I’m not going to rip it open tomorrow. There’s a lot of steps I want to work on, but I feel like this is the first dig where you guys can give me the rights to start planning it and then I can bring it back to you.”

   In his correspondence to the council, City Administrator Russ Farnum noted that Evans would “handle all necessary licensing and insurance.

   “Additional considerations would be given for special events like the chamber’s Uptown Friday Nights, Monti Days, and Monti in Motion car show.

   “The (pocket) park would remain open to the public even when the patio bar is operating. The general public would be able to walk through or use the park without obligations to purchase a drink, pay an entry fee, or other obstacle.”

   The consensus of the council was to allow Evans to proceed.

   As things come together, Farnum said some decisions would need to be made as far as water access for the shelter, reviewing the electrical setup inside the park for proper loading, health/food licensing, and short-and-long-term solutions for the dumpsters that sit above the park in the parking lot.