Carnegie's bar

If every part of Spokane needs a bar, then ANDY’S is fulfilling this need. Suddenly — the place had its grand opening just over a week ago — the area between Browne’s Addition and downtown has a watering hole. What exactly is the point of that?

“The whole idea of this bar is for it to be the neighborhood’s bar,” says Steffan Wachholtz, the proprietor. If it seems like a strange neighborhood to serve, the idea is getting less strange. The intersection of First and Cedar in Carnegie Square, where Andy’s is located, is sputtering toward becoming its own district: Count Andy’s among the Rocket Bakery, Finders Keepers and Studio
One, an upscale salon that also houses wine-and-chocolate hawker, the French Quarter.

Neighborhood revitalization aside, for now Andy’s is competing against the Rocket for the lunch crowd. On any given day, diners have up to 20 choices including standard bar and grill fare such as burgers, Reubens and sliders, but Andy’s also offers less traditional bar grub like Monte Cristos and paninis. They also offer the ever-amazing sweet potato French fry.

“It’s more like a little bistro,” says T. Ackerman, Andy’s manager. Facing north, windows stretch from ceiling to floor, flooding the space with natural light. And on the east side of the building, a patio holds numerous tables and chairs. Wachholtz, who also owns Irv’s in downtown, says another goal of his was to give “a lot of this stuff in the bar … a second life.” The bar top is made from old escalator side panels from the Sherwood building, and Wachholtz is a metal worker who has bent many slices of elemental earth for the bar’s needs. The result? “Contemporary and a little retro,” says Ackerman.

But back to Andy’s real goal of serving spirits. The liquor selection is extensive, like many bars, and the beers on tap number just a handful, again like any bar. The ambience is fine. For Andy’s to survive, it’ll have to depend on its location, and the advantages of that have yet to be determined. Nevertheless, Ackerman says they’re building a gathering.

“I’ve had the ladies sip the wine, and the rum and coke crowd, the beer crowd,” says Ackerman. “We’re happy to have anybody.” — NICHOLAS DESHAIS

Andy’s, at 1401 W. First Ave., is open daily 11 am-2 am. Call 744-1111.