The transformation of the old Gregory Street MacGregor’s into the best beer bar in the United States continues.

Most people, having purchased a defunct drinking establishment, would be content to clean up a bit, maybe slap on a coat of paint, hang some new clutter on the walls and call it a grand opening. Not Joe and Casey. They’re all about the manual labor.

They ripped out the old bar and hand-built a new one on the opposite side of the main room. They made the old corner doors the main entrance again, building a vestibule around it and laying stonework on the floor within. They found an old “Gorf” machine in the basement (which I tried to buy, but was told it doesn’t work).

A view down the new bar toward the new main entrance

Wipe your feet! The vestibule in all its glory

Another view of the bar. It’s even level!

Gorf

I understand the effort the guys are putting into the place. After all, if you’re going to drink well crafted beer, shouldn’t you do so in a well-crafted pub? It’s still hard to tell under the sawdust and scrapwood, but this place is obviously going to have the crap crafted out of it.

Hopefully, they’ll still make a September opening. McBane has yet to come up with the name, but he says he’s close on a few. Here are some suggestions of mine that definitely won’t make the final cut:

• The Drink & Drive
• The County Executive’s Head
• The Broken Water
• Shawcross Inn
• The Lucky Liver
• Waterdown’s
• SouthWedgie’s
• The Porter Potty
• The Crown & Other Crown
• The Spirit of Ontario

Whatever they call the place, it’s gonna be great. I can’t wait to hoist my first pint on premise.

-Mark