By JULES SHINKLE
BG Independent News
New owners have taken over Howard’s Club H with dreams to bring back good vibes, big bands, and being Bowling Green’s premier source of Malört.
Jacob Fowler, Ellie Hart, and Morgan Kesler were all Howard’s employees at various points in their careers – now, the trio has teamed up to run the dive bar. Having seen the business through highs and lows, the friends aim to restore Howard’s pull as a music venue and treasured community space.
In both cases, the walls tell a rich history. Of course, there’s the signed photos of major acts like blues legend Luther Allison sitting above the back bar. Then there’s the dozens of band stickers lining the stage, the hundreds of bricks bearing the scribbles of regulars.
Fowler says he wants to bring Howard’s “back to life” by bringing in the sort of big names that used to perform there on the regular. Already, they’ve wasted no time: Aug. 14 will be their “Grand Reopening” concert headlined by Equipment. Fellow emo rockers Remo Drive will take the stage on Sept. 26.
“While we have the big shows coming up, we’re still excited about the regular things,” said Fowler.
Dive Bombing Space Pigeons will continue to play each Wednesday, and Milk on the Rocks will play the first Friday of every month.
The three stress that their involvement will be hands-on.
“We’re not sitting high and lofty on a chair, collecting money,” said Fowler. They plan to invest the bar’s income into fixing the place up and paying off business debts.
“Jacob and I are still doing our regular shifts as bartenders,” added Hart.
Since they’ll be open seven days a week, Kesler wants to encourage more community-oriented events. He fondly remembers a Ukraine benefit where folks came to the bar to paint sunflowers.
“It wasn’t a music event, but it was something that brought a lot of people in for a good cause. I think it’d be really cool to do stuff like that again.”
A more recent example is the monthly Free Store Howard’s has hosted for over a year.
By cultivating a scene of communal care, the three hope to rekindle the “soul” of Howard’s.
“It’s a bar, but it’s also a space people care about,” Kesler said. “We’ve already had so many people be like, ‘I wanna help out, give me work to do!’”
The trio has seen an outpouring of support since they took over last Monday. They’re grateful, but ask that the bartending be left to them and their staff. They are, however, accepting donations to take care of some pressing repairs. See their GoFundMe page for more information.
“Or if you figure out how to get us an account with wholesale paper goods, do that,” Hart said. All three are excited to embark on this venture, but they’re realistic about the challenges ahead.
“We’re first-time bar owners, so we have a lot to learn,” he said.
Regarding stocking drinks, “We kind of have to wait and see what people want,” said Kesler.
That hasn’t stopped them from keeping personal favorites on the ready, though. Grinning, Fowler noted that he’s registered Howard’s as an official Malört bar – the only one in Bowling Green, he added proudly.
“The more you try it, the better it gets,” insisted Kesler. Hart nodded along, looking resigned. “For six bucks, we’ll give you a PBR and a shot.”
