Come take a shot at Pour Choices, where the puns flow as freely as the specials.
Iola’s newest drinking establishment, under the management of Liz and Josh McArdle, celebrated its grand opening Saturday at 118 E. Jackson Ave., site of the former Timeout Tavern.
“We’d talked with Randy (Misenhelter) when Timeout Tavern was closing, and he asked if we wanted to run it,” Liz said of the building owner. “Josh and I talked about it and decided we did.”
The memorable name came from an atypical source.
Credit the Rev. Jocelyn Tupper, who up until this spring served as pastor at Wesley United Methodist Church. (Liz works as office manager at the church in the mornings.)
Tupper was aware the McArdles had set their dreams on reopening the bar, “but you can’t do anything until you have a name,” Liz recalled. “You can’t apply for a business license, any of that.
“We were just throwing around names when she walked into my office,” Liz continued. “She just said ‘Pour Choices,’ and we loved it.
“Now, when everybody asks where I got the name, I just say, ‘it’s how I got here,’” she joked.
Besides, Pour Choices was much more warmly received than Liz’s other suggestion: Drinks Onus.
FEW CHANGES were required to the building when the McArdles opened the doors in June.
“The coolers and wells were already in place,” Liz noted. “We added some games, new carpet, a few changes, but nothing too major.”
They soon plan to reintroduce live music nights as well. The 2,000-square foot building has an ample dance floor and elevated stage for music or other performances.
“We’ve got a few more things to tie up before we’re ready for that,” Josh said. “We figure we can probably get a couple shows, maybe three or four a year.”
POUR CHOICES has plenty of other entertainment options, including three billiards tables for pool league nights on Tuesdays, 9-ball tournaments and potluck dinners on Sundays and free pool nights on Wednesdays.
“Free pool nights are kind of special for us,” Liz noted. “It’s where Josh and I met.”
On top of that, several televisions broadcast every Kansas Chiefs and Kansas City Royals game, or other prominent sporting events.
