From the Midnight Sun blog:
South Baltimore's Taps bar, which was auctioned off in August, finally has a replacement.
Taking over 1439 South Charles Street will be Catherine's Pub. Opening is tentatively scheduled for January.
Taps, which replaced the old Fort Charles Pub, opened nearly three years ago, on February 2008 with promises to install 40 taps and even a wine tap.
Two years later, only 17 taps had been installed, and no wine tap.
In August, two months after owner Dave Holter put it up for sale for $375,000, Ropewalk Tavern manager Marc McFaul bought the 4,000-square-foot property and the business for $450,000.
Chris Reda, McFaul's business partner, told me that today renovations began to prepare the bar for a mid-December, though most likely January opening.
Reda and McFaul sold the business to Gary Morse, who will still lease the property from them.
Reda said the new bar, to be called Catherine's Pub, will be an Irish pub. Renovations will be reserved to the exterior, though he said if the budget allows, the interior will be changed.
For the time being, Catherine's Pub will look a lot like the old Taps, minus a few cosmetic changes.
Reda said there will be eight taps, but that they haven't yet settled on a bottled beer list.
There are plans to have food, but not until after a month or two of being open. Operating hours have not been set.
But, still, Reda and McFaul must be for the bar's opening date. Catherine's Pub is already listed on their promo card alongside standbys Ropewalk Tavern, Dark Horse Saloon, and Stalking Horse.